Yamunanagar timber markets to remain shut during Kanwar Yatra

With the onset of the Kanwar Yatra, both timber markets (lakkar mandis) in Yamunanagar district — one located in Manakpur village, Jagadhri, and the other in Mandoli village, Yamunanagar — will remain closed from July 13 to July 23.

The decision, taken to ensure the peaceful conduct of the religious procession, is expected to significantly impact the supply of poplar and eucalyptus wood to the plywood factories in the region.

“The timber markets will remain closed due to the ongoing Kanwar Yatra. This will affect the business of timber arhtiyas and the plywood industry. However, the decision was necessary to support the safe and peaceful conduct of the yatra,” said Baldev Panwar, president of the Timber Arhtiya Association, Yamunanagar.

The Kanwar Yatra, which began on July 11, draws a large number of devotees from Yamunanagar and neighbouring districts of Haryana and Punjab, who travel to Haridwar to collect holy Ganga water to offer to Lord Shiva.

Importantly, the Yamunanagar–Saharanpur–Haridwar road, heavily used by Kanwarias, is also the main transportation route for poplar wood growers from Uttar Pradesh, who supply raw material to Yamunanagar’s plywood industry.

Known as Haryana’s poplar wood hub, Yamunanagar sources timber not just locally, but also from UP and Punjab. The shutdown will affect peeling factories, saw mills and chipper units, leading to a shortage of wood fuel, which is derived from wood waste.

JK Bihani, president of the Haryana Plywood Manufacturers Association, said, “The timber markets will be shut during the Kanwar Yatra, halting the supply of poplar and eucalyptus wood for about 10 days.”

“The factories will continue operations as long as wood stock lasts. They will have to close once the existing stock is exhausted,” Bihani said.