Kanwar Yatra, or the annual pilgrimage of people from the Ganges River to their local temples, is underway and will conclude on Tuesday (August 11, 2026).
The festive pilgrimage began on July 30 and will conclude on August 11, 2026 on the day of Shivratri.
Owing to the heavy pedestrian and pilgrimage traffic, specific advisories have been issued by authorities to ease commute of citizens, especially in Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, and Haryana.
Here’s your guide to what’s open and what’s closed.
The Delhi Traffic Police, in a post on X on August 10, 2026, said that “traffic congestion is likely on Kalindi Kunj junction, Okhla Barrage road, Noida, Kalindi Kunj-Noida road and the connecting roads towards Okhla Bird Sanctuary.” It especially warned commuters not to use the routes leading through Kalindi Kunj junction, to plan commutes in advance and to allow sufficient additional travel time.
Delhi CM assures kanwariyas will not face any difficulties
TRAFFIC ADVISORY
Traffic movement in and around Kalindi Kunj Junction is likely to remain slow and congested till 12.08.2026 due to heavy movement of Kanwariyas during the ongoing Kanwar Yatra and ongoing road repair work on the Okhla Barrage–Kalindi Kunj stretch.
📍ADVISORY… pic.twitter.com/dzqYI092mO
Gurugram traffic police, on August 8, detailed alternate routes for heavy vehicles to take to enter the national capital of Delhi owing to the ‘Kanwar Yatra’ pilgrimage and the return of the ‘kanwariyas’ from Haridwar.
School van vandalised in Lucknow allegedly by Kanwariyas
It asked commuters to “use Dwarka and KMP expressway via Panchgaon Chowk” as travel corridors to Rajasthan, Jhajjar, Rewari, Pataudi, Nuh, and Faridabad may also be affected.
This advisory is in effect till August 11, 2026 and the traffic police also attached maps for easy referencing for citizens.
Heavy Vehicle Advisory (9–11 Aug)
Kanwariyas return from Haridwar for jalabhishek on Mahashivratri, 11 Aug.
· Use Dwarka & KMP Expressway via Panchgaon Chowk
· For Rajasthan, Jhajjar, Rewari, Pataudi, Nuh, Faridabad
📞 112 | 1095#TrafficAdvisory#KMPExpressway#RoadSafetypic.twitter.com/QNABiSDIuF
Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh is also under a traffic advisory by the traffic police. An X post, with a video by Varun Kumar Singh, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic), said that “For the safe movement of Kanwar devotees, the Delhi-Meerut Expressway (DME) will be restricted for general traffic on August 10 and 11, 2026.” It added that: In view of the large number of Kanwar pilgrims on NH-58/Delhi-Meerut route, use Rapid Metro (RRTS) and public transport instead of private vehicles, and use NH-09 as much as possible.
Traffic curbs for Kanwar Yatra in U.P.’s Muzaffarnagar till August 12
Vehicles coming from Siddharth Vihar to Meerut Tiraha should use NH-09, Vijayanagar Cut, Overbridge, and Chaudhary Mod.”
It advised locals to use NH-09 instead for commuting.
#GhaziabadTrafficPolice#KanwarYatra2026
🚦कांवड़ यात्रा-2026 के दृष्टिगत कांवड़ यात्रियों की भारी संख्या को देखते हुए दिनांक 10.08.2026 एवं 11.08.2026 को यातायात एडवाइजरी व रूट डायवर्जन सूचना संबंधी वीडियो बाइट🚦
👉 कांवड़ श्रद्धालुओं के सुरक्षित आवागमन हेतु 10 व 11 अगस्त… pic.twitter.com/gjKWuGeiG4
Kanwar Yatra is an annual pilgrimage where devotees of Lord Shiva collect holy water from the Ganges River from places like Haridawar, Gangotri, Gaumukh, or Sultanganj and take it to their local temples, often walking barefoot for long distances.
It occurs during July-August, depending on the Hindu calendar month of ‘Shravan.’
Four detained for selling non-veg food on routes for Kanwariyas, shop razed in Bareilly
Published - August 10, 2026 08:22 am IST
Delhi / Uttar Pradesh / Haryana
Source: The Hindu - India News
