The Supreme Court has sought the Union government’s response to a petition calling for the formulation of a standard operating procedure (SOP) to ensure the safe and orderly conduct of the annual Kanwar Yatra. A Bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta agreed to hear the plea, which has sought a coordinated inter-State mechanism for traffic and crowd management to ensure the safe passage of pilgrims participating in the yatra. This year’s pilgrimage began on July 30 and is scheduled to conclude on August 11.
The petition has also sought directions to ensure that routes used during the pilgrimage have adequate access for ambulances, fire services, police vehicles, and other emergency responders. The Bench has issued a notice, returnable on August 25, 2026, to the Union government in this regard. The plea has further sought periodic reviews of the measures adopted for the pilgrimage, and the submission of compliance reports before the appropriate authorities in a manner prescribed by the court.
It has also sought a comprehensive national SOP for the safe and orderly conduct of the Kanwar Yatra, consistent with the Constitution and the existing statutory framework. In a related development, the apex court had last year prohibited the enforcement of directives issued by the Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand governments requiring eateries and food stalls along the Kanwar Yatra route to prominently display the names and other identity details of their owners and employees. The court had clarified that authorities could take steps to ensure that the Kanwariyas were served vegetarian food in accordance with prescribed hygiene standards and their dietary preferences.
