The Kanwar Yatra began on Tuesday with Shiva devotees from across the country making a beeline for Haridwar to collect holy water from the Ganga. The Kanwariyas will head back after collecting the water and perform 'jalabhishek' in Shiva temples on the occasion of Shiva Trayodashi.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami extended a warm welcome to the Kanwariyas and asked the administration to ensure that they do not face any inconvenience. There are also plans to shower Kanwariyas with flower petals from helicopters this year.

Elaborate security arrangements have been made in view of the yatra which will go on for nearly a fortnight.?The Kanwar fair area has been divided into 12 super zones, 33 zones and 120 sectors, said Deputy Inspector General, Garhwal Range, V Murugesan.

Seven companies of paramilitary personnel, 12 PAC companies and 10,000 police personnel are being deployed in the area, he said. Bomb disposal and dog squads will also be deployed in the area. The security forces will keep a vigil with the help of nearly 300 CCTV cameras, the officer said.