Haridwar: Shopkeepers on Kanwar Yatra Route Ordered to Display Owner's Name

MUZAFFARNAGAR/ HARIDWAR— Even as some BJP allies have questioned the police order in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, directing eateries—including roadside carts—along the Kanwar Yatra route to display the names of their owners, a similar directive was issued in Uttarakhand’s Haridwar on Friday.

Both Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh are BJP-ruled states. While the BJP has defended the order, opposition parties Samajwadi Party, Congress, BSP and others have criticised the move.

In Uttar Pradesh, the directive is expected to impact eateries not just in Muzaffarnagar but along the entire route of the yatra. “The order for displaying names on eateries and roadside carts was also implemented last year. The orders are meant to ensure peace in and around districts on the route. Police will ensure the security of kanwarias in Meerut, Baghpat, Hapur, Bulandshahr, Shamli, and Muzaffarnagar districts,” said Dhruv Kant Thakur, Additional Director General of Police, Meerut Zone.

In Haridwar, Senior Superintendent of Police Pramendra Dobhal stated, “During the Kanwar Yatra, disputes often arise due to shops not mentioning the name of the proprietor. Many times, the yatris object to this. To address this, all shops, restaurants, hotels, dhabas, and street vendors on the route will be verified by the Haridwar police. We are also pushing for the names of proprietors to be clearly displayed. The QR codes will mention the same.”

The decision followed a series of meetings with stakeholders in the district. According to a statement issued by the district police, SSP Haridwar organized a meeting on Thursday to review tasks assigned to gazetted officers.

During the meeting, officials were instructed to inspect hotels, dhabas, and food shops on the highway and ensure rate lists are displayed and QR codes included. Information on police force deployment, goods and equipment required, and drone availability during the yatra were also discussed.

In a separate statement, the Bhagwanpur police station noted that a meeting was organized with hotel and dhaba owners/operators in view of the upcoming yatra, and they assured full cooperation.

The guidelines issued in the meeting include prohibiting the use of meat, eggs, garlic, and onions in hotels and dhabas, banning the consumption of liquor and intoxicants, requiring food rate lists to be displayed prominently, and ensuring a QR code in the operator’s name is available for payment.