Haridwar, June 5 -- Ahead of the annual Kanwar Yatra scheduled to begin next month, the district administration on Thursday launched a major anti-encroachment drive across key areas of Haridwar to ease congestion and prepare for the influx of pilgrims. Officials said the drive aims to clear encroachments from Ganga ghats, markets, areas around the bus and railway stations, highways and inner roads leading to the Har-ki-Pauri ghat. City magistrate Har Giri said the exercise was necessary in view of the upcoming Kanwar Yatra and the Ardh Kumbh Mela scheduled early next year. "As the Shravan Kanwar Mela is approaching and the Ardh Kumbh is only seven months away, a coordinated drive against encroachments on government, civic and departmental land has become necessary," he said. The Char Dham Yatra is also underway and tourist footfall remains high due to the summer holiday season, leading to increased pedestrian and vehicular congestion," he added. In the first phase, joint teams of the district administration, municipal corporation and police carried out the drive along the Upper Road stretch connecting the bus station, railway station and Shiv Murti Chowk with Har-ki-Pauri and Bhimgoda. While there was resistance from from the traders and local residents, the teams worked on removing encroachments and illegal structures along a stretch of around 3 km, officials said....