CM orders crowd control plan for Kainchi Dham fair as footfall triples in a year
Nainital: A record 2.5 to 3 lakh devotees are expected to attend 15 foundation day fair at Kainchi Dham on Sunday, prompting CM
Pushkar Singh Dhami
to order immediate and long-term measures for crowd and traffic management at the shrine in Nainital district.
The fair marks the ashram's consecration and has grown into one of the region's largest religious gatherings.
Dhami chaired a high-level meeting on Thursday to discuss a multi-tiered response to the sharp rise in footfall at the pilgrimage site. He directed officials to widen a 3km stretch from the Sanatorium to beyond the Bhowali petrol pump to ease congestion. He also called for a registration system and a visitor cap to be put in place to regulate crowd flow.
Nainital DM Vandana Singh highlighted the need for long-term solutions and proposed a mandatory registration system along with a cap on visitor numbers in the future to ensure a safer and more organised pilgrimage experience. She said, "In earlier years, we saw around 8 lakh visitors annually, but 2024 saw a massive surge with 24 lakh pilgrims. We expect 2.5 to 3 lakh devotees to attend the fair and we need better infrastructure to handle this.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Hvor lenge varer 3 mill. kr etter fylte 55?
Fisher Investments Norden
Lær mer
Undo
"
ADG (crime and law and order) V Murugesan inspected the temple complex, traffic routes, parking areas, and high-density zones. "We will use drones and CCTV for round-the-clock surveillance. A control room and a social media monitoring unit are being set up to manage misinformation," he said.
More than 800 police personnel and three PAC companies will be deployed across zones. Plainclothes officers, volunteers, and bomb disposal squads will assist with security and crowd control.
Officials have planned traffic diversions, shuttle services, and 15 designated parking sites across key routes.
SDM Tushar Saini shared two helpline numbers — 07302532213 and 05942-245543 — for public assistance. Officials urged devotees to use designated parking and follow all instructions to ensure smooth and safe proceedings.
Kainchi Dham was established by Neem Karoli Baba in 1962 and has emerged as a major spiritual centre. The shrine attracts lakhs of devotees annually, including well-known visitors like Apple co-founder Steve Jobs and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
Follow more information on
Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here
. Get
real-time live updates
on rescue operations and check
full list of passengers onboard AI 171
.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
43 minutes ago
- Time of India
Afghan man pleads guilty to plotting ISIS-inspired attack on US election day
An Afghan national residing in Oklahoma has admitted guilt in a federal court for conspiring to carry out a terrorist attack on Election Day in the United States on behalf of the Islamic State ( ISIS ), according to court records and official statements released in June 2025. Tawhedi faces a maximum prison sentence of 35 years for these offenses. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 21st Century Skills Start with Confident Communication Planet Spark Learn More Undo Details of the case and charges Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi , 27, pleaded guilty on June 13 to two counts: conspiracy to provide material support to ISIS and attempting to acquire firearms to commit a federal terrorism offense. The U.S. government classifies ISIS as a foreign terrorist organization. Live Events Court documents reveal that Tawhedi, who arrived in the U.S. on September 1, 2021, under a special immigration program shortly after the Taliban took control of Kabul, had been living in Oklahoma when he sought to obtain AK-47-style rifles and approximately 500 rounds of ammunition. His intent was to target large groups of people during the 2024 U.S. election, aiming to inflict mass casualties and disrupt the democratic process. Authorities disclosed that Tawhedi collaborated with several individuals, including his father-in-law Abdullah H. Zada, who was charged as an adult and pleaded guilty in April 2025. Zada faces up to 15 years in prison for his role in the conspiracy. Investigation and arrest The FBI monitored Tawhedi for over a month before his arrest, during which he was employed as a rideshare driver and worked in automotive repair shops. The agency's investigation uncovered his efforts to acquire weapons and plan the attack. FBI Director Kash Patel praised the investigation, stating, 'The defendant admits he planned and obtained firearms to carry out a violent terror attack on Election Day in 2024, a plot that was detected and disrupted through the good work of the FBI and our partners.' At the time of his arrest on October 7, 2024, Tawhedi was on parole pending a decision on his immigration status, which has since been revoked. Motivations and court statements During the court proceedings, Tawhedi admitted that his motivation stemmed from retaliation against U.S. involvement in conflicts abroad, specifically citing the war in Gaza . Though he did not formally apologize, he acknowledged knowing that his actions were wrong. Through an interpreter, he expressed that he had been opposed to violence for much of his life but became disillusioned, which influenced his worldview and led to his involvement in the plot. He explicitly stated that the plan was intended to kill Americans and disrupt the U.S. electoral process, underscoring the seriousness of the threat.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Air India crash: Death toll reaches 274 in Ahmedabad, efforts to clear debris ongoing
Salvage teams recovered the black box of the ill-fated AI 171 flight on Friday, along with 29 more bodies from the wreckage of the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner , taking the death toll to 274 in one of the deadliest single-aircraft disaster in Indian aviation history, reported The Times of India. The rising casualty count—beyond the 241 passengers and crew confirmed dead on board—suggests that the remaining 33 victims were likely individuals present on the campus of Ahmedabad's BJ Medical College at the time of the crash, the ToI report added. They are believed to include doctors, students, hospital staff, and local residents from the Meghaninagar area. The black box, containing the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR), was found on the rooftop of the UG and PG students' mess building within the medical college campus, Joint Commissioner of Police (Sector 1) Neeraj Badgujar said. The aircraft's Emergency Locator Transmitter had been recovered Thursday night. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Air conditioners without external unit. (click to see prices) Air Condition | Search Ads Search Now Undo Search and recovery efforts were focused overnight on buildings that took the brunt of the crash, as well as surrounding areas. 'We have sent 319 body parts, including complete and partial remains, for DNA matching to confirm the victims' identities,' a state government official said. Besides the 241 victims on board, four casualties on the ground had been confirmed earlier—three doctors and the pregnant wife of a neurosurgery resident. On Friday, a fifth victim, MBBS student Jay Prakash Chaudhary, was identified by his family. Live Events The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) confirmed the recovery of the black box. Civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu also announced the find on social media, stating that the data would play a crucial role in identifying the cause of the crash. Ahmedabad city police have registered a case of accidental death at the Meghaninagar police station and have begun an investigation. The first emergency call regarding the crash and fire was received at 1:44pm on Thursday, officials said. The crash site—the Old IGP Campus—houses residential blocks for MBBS students and resident doctors of BJ Medical College, which is affiliated with the Civil Hospital. Many of the passengers and crew members were charred beyond recognition, and their remains have been taken to the Civil Hospital for identification. While central agencies, including the National Investigation Agency (NIA), visited the site on Friday, officials said foul play has not been ruled out. However, the primary focus remains on collecting flight data and other evidence to determine whether technical or human error caused the crash. With inputs from ToI
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
'It sucks": Wade Miley clears air after being accused of supplying prescription drugs to Tyler Skaggs
Wade Miley finally addresses claim he provided drugs to late Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs (Getty Images) Cincinnati Reds pitcher Wade Miley has firmly denied any involvement in the tragic drug-related death of former teammate Tyler Skaggs, after being unexpectedly named in a deposition related to Skaggs' 2019 overdose. Speaking with reporters on Friday, Miley addressed the claims head-on while expressing his deep sorrow over the loss of his former teammate. 'I hate what happened to Tyler,' Miley said, as quoted by Bob Nightengale of USA Today. 'It sucks. My thoughts are with his family and friends. But I'm not going to sit here and talk about things that somebody might have said about me or whatnot. I was never a witness for any of this. I've never been accused of any wrongdoing.' Wade Miley responds to serious accusation tied to Tyler Skaggs' death Tyler Skaggs, who passed away at just 27 years old, was found to have died from a combination of alcohol, fentanyl, and oxycodone. The shocking nature of his passing prompted a wrongful death lawsuit from his family against the Los Angeles Angels, seeking $210 million in damages. The case has already led to the conviction of former Angels communications director Eric Kay, who was found guilty of supplying Skaggs with the fatal pill. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Buy Brass Idols - Handmade Brass Statues for Home & Gifting Luxeartisanship Buy Now Undo Miley's name surfaced during a deposition from Skaggs' former agent, Ryan Hamill, as part of that lawsuit. Hamill stated that he had expressed concerns about Skaggs' drug use as early as 2013. 'He came clean,' Hamill testified. 'He said he had been using — I believe it was Percocets — and he said he got them through Wade Miley.' That claim has cast a sudden shadow on Miley's otherwise respected MLB career. Now 38, the veteran left-hander was Skaggs' teammate on the Arizona Diamondbacks during the 2012 and 2013 seasons. During that time, Miley emerged as a rising star, even earning a spot on the National League All-Star team in 2012. Despite the swirling accusations, Miley reiterated his innocence and chose not to elaborate further. "No wrongdoing" has ever been formally associated with his name, according to Nightengale's report. Miley is currently preparing to take the mound on Sunday as the Reds continue their series in Detroit against the Tigers. The timing of the allegations places him in a difficult position both personally and professionally. While the legal battle between the Skaggs family and the Angels organization presses on, Miley appears intent on focusing on baseball, while letting his brief and direct statement stand as his only public response for now. Also Read: Reds pitcher Wade Miley accused of supplying drugs to late Angels star Tyler Skaggs in shocking court docs
