Delhi CM Rekha Gupta has ordered comprehensive arrangements for the Chhath festival, focusing on safety, cleanliness, and increased ghat infrastructure to ensure a convenient experience for millions of devotees across the national capital.
Chhath Puja Preparations Review
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday held a detailed review meeting with officials of the concerned departments, district administration and various agencies to assess preparations for the upcoming Chhath festival. The Chief Minister stated that there must be no shortcomings in arrangements for devotees’ convenience, safety, cleanliness or the smooth conduct of Chhath Puja. All preparations must be completed within the stipulated time, and officials must inspect arrangements at each ghat in person rather than rely solely on progress reports, the Chief Minister said, adding that more ghats would be developed for Chhath Puja this year than in the previous year. A public holiday will also be observed on the occasion.
According to a press release, Rekha Gupta said Chhath is an important festival rooted in the faith of millions of devotees. The government must therefore ensure that those observing the fast and their families have a clean, safe and convenient environment for worship. She directed officials to complete all major arrangements at least two days before the festival. Cabinet Minister Kapil Mishra, Chhath Puja committee representatives and MLAs Abhay Verma, Chandan Kumar Chaudhary and Sandeep Sehawat and officials from the Revenue Department, Delhi Police, Traffic Police, Delhi Jal Board, Municipal Corporation, New Delhi Municipal Council, Public Works Department, Irrigation and Flood Control Department, Fire Service and other concerned agencies attended the meeting.
Schedule and Infrastructure
Meanwhile, the officials informed the meeting that this year’s Chhath Puja would begin on November 13 and continue until November 16. Keeping the possibility of cold weather in November in mind, the Chief Minister directed officials to make special arrangements. She said weather conditions were different from those of the previous year, and adequate covered tents should be installed at large and medium-sized ghats wherever required. Tents must also be provided behind the stage, at the main worship area and at other necessary locations. Officials were directed to arrange additional tents at major model ghats as required.
Officials from the concerned department informed the meeting that more than 1,400 ghats were expected to be set up in Delhi for Chhath Puja this year, compared with 1,326 last year. The release further noted that the Chief Minister has directed that the basic preparations at the ghats be completed by November 6, leaving only tasks such as filling them with water, installing tents and carrying out final cleaning for the subsequent days and instructed the district administration and concerned departments to regularly inspect the ghats in their respective areas and address any shortcomings on the spot.
Sanitation and Public Convenience
The Chief Minister also directed officials to ensure adequate toilets and changing rooms for women, stressing that the festival is associated with purity and that these facilities require special attention. She also instructed the concerned departments to maintain cleanliness at the ghats and throughout the surrounding areas. She said cleaning arrangements must be in place before the evening arghya, after the evening prayers at night, and immediately after the morning Usha Arghya. With large crowds expected on November 15 and 16, sanitation workers and additional teams must remain active round the clock. A sufficient number of large dustbins should be installed, and waste must be removed continuously rather than waiting for it to accumulate, the CM added.
Rekha Gupta said the routes must be free of potholes, loose stones, debris and other obstructions. Roads must be repaired, and water sprinkling should be carried out regularly to keep the surroundings dust-free. All available sprinklers and other machinery must be put to full use. Instead of keeping machines merely on standby, officials should deploy them continuously as required. She added, old stones and debris lying on central road medians and at repair sites must also be removed.
Safety and Transport Coordination
Emphasising the importance of adequate lighting along routes leading to the ghats, the Chief Minister said no road should be left in darkness, and no dark spots should remain. Officials have been directed to ensure CCTV surveillance at all major and crowded ghats and instructed the Delhi Police, district administration and concerned agencies to work in coordination. Fire tenders must be stationed near large and heavily crowded ghats. Gupta also asked the Traffic Police to coordinate with local organisers and share information in advance about parking arrangements, traffic diversions and road closures wherever necessary.
Large model ghats should also have LED screens continuously displaying content related to Chhath Puja, along with videos providing information about the Delhi government’s public welfare schemes, the CM instructed. Foreign ambassadors and high commissioners will also be invited to Chhath Puja celebrations this year. Officials were directed to coordinate with the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) to identify a suitable venue and explore the possibility of holding the event at Sur Ghat or another suitable, well-prepared ghat, the release said.
Keeping devotees’ convenience in mind after the morning Usha Arghya on November 16, the Chief Minister directed that Monday, November 16, be declared a public holiday. The meeting also discussed coordination with the Ministry of Railways to manage the increased rush at railway stations during the festival, particularly among passengers travelling to Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh. The Chief Minister directed officials to give equal attention to the convenience of people travelling by bus. At ISBTs, arrangements must be made for essential information, banners and crowd management. Civil Defence personnel may also be deployed wherever necessary.
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