In a move aimed at enhancing transparency and food safety during the upcoming Kanwar Yatra, the Meerut administration has issued a directive mandating all eateries and food stalls along the pilgrimage route to prominently display QR codes containing owner information. The initiative, which comes ahead of the massive annual pilgrimage scheduled to begin this month, is expected to benefit both devotees and monitoring authorities.
The Kanwar Yatra, an annual religious pilgrimage undertaken by millions of Shiva devotees, will see scores of pilgrims (Kanwariyas) traveling on foot to fetch holy Ganga water from Haridwar and other sacred sources. In anticipation of the surge in footfall across Western Uttar Pradesh, the Meerut district administration has taken several proactive steps to ensure hygiene, accountability, and the well-being of pilgrims.
As part of these measures, food outlets, including temporary stalls, dhabas, and roadside eateries, operating along the designated Kanwar routes will now be required to display a QR code outside their premises. This code, when scanned, will reveal the identity of the food vendor, their contact information, and food license details, if applicable.
Officials say this move serves multiple purposes. “It helps us keep a check on unauthorized food sellers and allows devotees to report unhygienic practices or any health issues arising from consumption of food,” said Meerut DM Deepak Meena. “The QR-based system ensures real-time accountability and supports prompt redressal of complaints.”
In addition to the QR code mandate, local authorities are also deploying teams from the Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA) to carry out spot inspections. Food quality, water safety, and hygiene conditions will be under strict scrutiny throughout the yatra period.
The Kanwar Yatra is set to begin on July 22 and continue till August 2, coinciding with the holy month of Shravan. Given the scale of the event, over 3 crore pilgrims are expected to pass through Uttar Pradesh, with thousands of food outlets mushrooming along the way. To mitigate the risk of foodborne illnesses, the government has also advised eateries to serve only freshly cooked vegetarian food and maintain cleanliness in cooking and serving areas.
Several tech-enabled monitoring systems are being integrated this year. Besides QR codes, the Meerut Smart City control room will monitor crowd movement, while mobile teams will oversee emergency medical aid and sanitation.
Local residents have welcomed the move. “Earlier, there was no way to know who was running these food stalls. With QR codes, at least we’ll know where the food is coming from,” said Rajeev Sharma, a Meerut-based volunteer who assists with Kanwar logistics every year.
The administration has also urged devotees to cooperate with officials, avoid littering, and report any safety hazards through the newly launched Kanwar Yatra Helpline App, which now includes a feature to scan food vendor QR codes and submit complaints directly.
