Solan admn issues new travel protocols for devotee security

In a significant move to safeguard pilgrims travelling from Solan district to various religious destinations, the District Magistrate (DM)-cum-Chairman of District Disaster Management Authority, Manmohan Sharma, has directed gram panchayats and police stations to submit detailed information of devotees to the respective sub-divisional administrations within a fixed timeframe.

The directive, issued this week, lays down a framework aimed at ensuring safety and timely assistance to pilgrims in case of any emergency. Bus operators and other stakeholders will now be required to furnish details of passengers through a standardised form, which will be designed by the District Information Officer, NIC Solan, within a week. Once ready, the document will be uploaded on the official website of the district administration for easy access and submission.

The order has been prompted by the rising number of devotees heading to religious sites and the mounting risks posed by natural disasters. The Superintendents of Police at Solan and Baddi have been instructed to verify details of all pilgrims at checkposts and nakas, with special focus on groups travelling in buses and trucks. These records must be promptly shared with the local administration and uploaded online to maintain a transparent database.

To build awareness among stakeholders, the Regional Transport Officers of Solan and Baddi will soon convene meetings with tour and travel operators, bus associations and related groups. The DM stressed that it is the responsibility of these operators to ensure information is shared with both local police stations and gram panchayats before pilgrims begin their journey.

“The onus of safety lies with the tour operators. They must comply with these directions in letter and spirit to guarantee smooth religious journeys,” said DM Sharma. He further underlined that timely sharing of details would enable swift assistance during disasters, preventing chaos and delays in rescue operations.

The move gains importance in light of recent rain-induced calamities across several states, where tracking and aiding stranded pilgrims became a challenge due to incomplete data. Earlier this year, 31 devotees from Arki were injured, six of them seriously, when a bus carrying them to the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj overturned after being hit by a hydra machine in Uttar Pradesh’s Kaushambi district. The Solan administration had to coordinate closely with Kaushambi authorities to ensure medical treatment and arrange financial aid for their safe return.

By tightening safety protocols, the Solan district administration hopes to make pilgrimages both secure and better organised, ensuring that faith does not come at the cost of safety.