5K cops to be deployed during Hola Mohalla

Tribune News Service

Ropar, March 21

Besides strict implementation of Covid-19 guidelines, nearly 5,000 cops will be deployed at Kiratpur Sahib and Anandpur Sahib during six-day celebrations of Hola Mohalla starting from Wednesday.

More than 20 lakh devotees from various parts of the country as well as abroad reach in twin towns during the festival every year.

Ropar Senior Superintendent of Police Dr Akhil Chaudhary said to maintain law and order, the two towns had been divided into 12 sectors, and the responsibility of each sector had been entrusted to one Senior Superintendent of Police and two Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSPs), along with other police personnel, who would be on duty round the clock in two shifts.

Besides this, 24 nakas and 22 mobile patrol parties will be there at the prescribed routes.

The traffic from Ropar to Bilaspur-Manali will be diverted to Ghanauli-Nalagarh-Dehni-Swarghat, and traffic from Ropar to Nangal will be diverted to Ropar Headworks-Nurpurbedi-JhajChownk-Kalwan Mod-Nangal-Una. Similarly, traffic from Bunga Sahib to Garhshanker and Nangal would ply on Bunga Sahib-Nurpurbedi-JhajChownk-Kalwan Morh.

The SSP said appeals had been made to follow the prescribed precautionary measures, including use of sanitisers, face mask, washing hands and maintaining social distancing.

According to the orders of the Deputy Commissioner, international pilgrims planning to attend the festival have to bring with them Covid-negative reports of the test taken up to 72 hours prior to the visit.

Traffic diversion to avoid jams

• To avoid congestion, traffic from Ropar to Bilaspur-Manali will be diverted to Ghanauli-Nalagarh-Dehni-Swarghat
• Traffic from Ropar to Nangal will be diverted to Ropar Headworks-Nurpurbedi-JhajChownk-Kalwan Mod-Nangal-Una
• Vehicles from Bunga Sahib to Garhshanker and Nangal will ply on Bunga Sahib-Nurpurbedi-JhajChownk-Kalwan Morh