Lucknow, Jul 18 (IANS): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday chaired a review meeting to oversee the preparations for the Kanwar Yatra, set to begin on July 22, and announced that the remaining work on roads to be used by the pilgrims will be completed in the next 72 hours.

He said the Public Works, Irrigation, and Urban Development departments have been directed to strictly adhere to the timeframe for the road repair work.

The Chief Minister also directed that cleanliness should be ensured on all the routes used by the pilgrims for the entire duration of the pilgrimage, and that garbage be regularly removed, water-logging be prevented, and measures be taken for the management of solid waste.

Also, proper lighting must be provided, with additional street lights and transformers.

He said that keeping in mind the faith of the devotees, it would be appropriate to set up shelter points on the route, with the assistance of local people, where drinking water, etc., be made available.

Social organisations can also be roped in for the purpose but after their proper verification. Drones should also be used to monitor the routes and arrangments be made for showering petals on the devotees at key points, he added.

The Chief Minister said that DJs should be allowed with the Kanwars, subject to the appropriate guidelines on sound volumes.

He also noted that a large number of devotees visit the key Shiv temples in Ghaziabad, Meerut, Bareilly, Ayodhya, Basti, Prayagraj, Kashi, Barabanki, and other cities and the local administrations must coordinate with the temple managements to monitor and control the rush.