Indian pilgrimage road closures

State authorities in northern India coordinated extensive traffic restrictions to manage the annual Kaanvad pilgrimage, which runs from July 30 to early August 2026. In Uttarakhand, officials prepared the pilgrimage route with on‑site inspections, heightened police deployment, CCTV, drones, medical camps and a complete closure of the national highway from the night of August 7 through August 11. The focus was on safety, sanitation and preventing disruptions.

A week later, Uttar Pradesh announced its own measures, banning heavy vehicles on the Delhi‑Haridwar highway from July 30 and imposing a full traffic halt from August 4 to August 12. A dedicated lane was set aside for kanwariyas, and police divers and a temporary outpost were deployed to protect pilgrims along the Ganga Canal and key highway junctions. Together, these actions illustrate a multi‑state effort to secure the pilgrimage corridor and ensure orderly movement of devotees during the peak period.