Fear of terror attack affects pilgrim inflow in Haridwar

Sandeep Rawat

Tribune News Service

Haridwar, January 23

The arrest of four suspected terrorists from Roorkee and four incidents of bomb scare in Haridwar have affected the inflow of pilgrims and tourists during the ongoing Ardh Kumbh.

The terror threat has affected the pilgrim footfall during Ardh Kumbh that commenced on January 14 while one of the 10 pious festive baths has already passed. The rush as expected during Ardh Kumbh is not visible with Ganga ghats having fewer pilgrims.

Evens the number of pilgrims visiting Brahma Kund, Har-ki-Pauri, has fallen drastically. A visit to the railway station and the six Ardh Kumbh temporary bus stations also indicate the impact of the terror threat.

Long queues were witnessed at booking counters just a week ago. But since January 19 when the news about the arrest of four suspected terrorists from Roorkee and their plan to bomb Har-ki-Pauri and other important public places broke, the arrival of pilgrims and tourists had fallen drastically.

Meanwhile, Ardh Kumbh IGP Ganesh Singh Martolia has urged people not to be fearful of terror attack, as elaborate security arrangements have been made for Ardh Kumbh in Haridwar. Vyapar Mandal district president Suresh Gulati said they had been eagerly awaiting Ardh Kumbh for the past six years since Kumbh in 2010. However, the terror threat had severely affected their trade, as pilgrims and tourists were avoiding coming to Haridwar these days.

Traders’ representative Tej Prakash Sahu claimed that following the arrest of four suspected terrorists three days ago traders had suffered loss of business to the tune of about Rs 2 crore. Usually at least 2 lakh people arrive in Haridwar every day but the number has fallen to about 50,000.

Neeraj Kumar, owner of Hotel Ganges Riviera, said there had been a sharp decline in hotel room bookings in the past three days. “The Ardh Kumbh mela force is manning the entire zone, Har-ki-Pauri, adjacent Ganga ghats, railway and bus stations and important shrines. It comprises paramilitary forces such as the ITBP, SSB, CISF, RAF and the PAC. Bomb disposal squads are working round the clock and drones are being used for surveillance while more than 100 CCTV cameras have been installed across the city. I request pilgrims and tourists to come to Haridwar for Ardh Kumbh and a dip in the Ganga without fear,” said Martolia.

Purushottam Sharma, OSD to Chief Minister Harish Rawat, said in the coming days, a media campaign would be launched to give a message to the whole world that ‘Haridwar is safe, Ardh Kumbh is safe’.