The Haridwar Municipal Corporation approved a proposal on Monday to ban raw meat sales across city limits. All meat shops will be relocated to Sarai village on the outskirts. The move precedes the 45-day Ardh Kumbh Mela starting January 14, 2027.
The Haridwar Municipal Corporation (HMC) board approved the proposal during a meeting on Monday. Some Congress councillors objected, but it passed with a majority vote from Bharatiya Janata Party councillors.
The 45-day Ardh Kumbh fair begins on January 14, 2027, coinciding with Makar Sankranti, and ends on Maha Shivratri. Officials expect 6-7 crore visitors. The ban expands existing restrictions on meat, liquor, and eggs sales within a 5-km radius of Har Ki Pauri on the Ganga riverbanks.
Mayor Kiran Jaisal said 56 shops have been built in Sarai village. "Public sentiment has been taken into account in arriving at this decision," he stated. Municipal Commissioner Nandan Kumar told mediapersons that shops in Jwalapur will shut and shift to the site. Decisions on meat-serving restaurants and dhabas will follow later. He also announced compulsory registration for residents keeping more than five dairy animals, including cows and buffaloes.
Earlier this year, Ganga Sabha demanded a ban on non-Hindus entering the Kumbh area. President Nitin Gautam said the trust urged the Uttarakhand government to declare the fairground exclusively for Hindus. "It is the need of the hour that before the upcoming Kumbh, the entry of non-Hindus should be banned at all Ganga ghats and religious places," he added.