Haridwar, May 2 -- Millions of pilgrims and tourists arrived in Haridwar and Rishikesh on Friday to take a holy dip in the Ganga on Buddha Purnima, also known as Vaishakh Purnima. Devotees started accumulating early in the day at the sanctum sanctorum of Brahm Kund at Har Ki Pauri and other adjoining ghats. Major ghats in Haridwar such as Birla Ghat, VIP Ghat, Malviya Deep Ghat, Nai Sota Ghat, Subhash Ghat, Kushawrat Ghat, Alaknanda Ghat, Rishikul Ghat, Love Kush Ghat, Swami Vivekanand Ghat, Gobind Ghat, Prem Nagar Ashram Ghat and Ram-Sita Ghat witnessed heavy footfall throughout the day, said officials. Devotees also gathered at Triveni Ghat and other ghats in Rishikesh, including those in Muni Ki Reti, Swargashram and Lakshman Jhula. Haridwar senior superintendent of police, Navneet Singh Bhullar, said elaborate security and traffic arrangements were in place for the festival. "Heavy commercial vehicles were barred from entering the city till midnight. Through CCTV cameras connected to the mela control room, all eight zones and 13 sectors were monitored round the clock. Drone surveillance and a traffic diversion plan were also implemented to ensure smooth movement of pilgrims and vehicles," Bhullar said. Traffic congestion was reported at Nagla Imarti on the Roorkee-Laksar road and on the Haridwar-Rishikesh stretch during the day, and additional traffic were deployed to regulate movement, said officials. According to officials at the mela control room, more than 500,000 devotees arrived in Haridwar and Rishikesh by 3 pm. Ganga Sabha secretary Ujjwal Pundit said Buddha Purnima, also known as Vaishakh Purnima, was one of the significant bathing festivals in the annual Hindu calendar. "Devotees also offered donations to the needy and Brahmins. Teerth purohits and priests assisted devotees in performing rituals and worship at the ghats and temples," Pundit said....