Delhi’s 11-kilometre Munak Canal Chhath ghat is set to open on 12 November after a large-scale cleanup and redevelopment programme that removed approximately 1,400 truckloads of debris, waste and other accumulated material from the canal’s edges, according to the Delhi government.
The ghat has been developed on both sides of the canal to provide an organised site for Chhath worshippers. The government has described it as the longest canal-side Chhath ghat in the capital and the first event site of its kind developed along a canal in the country.
The inauguration is scheduled to take place on Thursday and will be conducted by Bharatiya Janata Party national president Nitin Nabin, the report said. The project has been carried out under the supervision of Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, with the canal section being cleaned and converted into a public religious and gathering space.
The redevelopment includes permanent steps on both sides of the canal and cemented roads to improve access along the 11-kilometre stretch. Facilities planned for devotees include changing rooms, toilets, tents, lighting, benches and closed-circuit television cameras. The authorities are also adding landscaping and green areas as part of the site’s beautification.
The government has said that clean water flow will be maintained in the canal during the Chhath arrangements. Fountains are also being installed at different locations. These facilities are intended to support worshippers who traditionally gather near water bodies for the festival, while providing a more structured setting than the previously neglected canal edges.
According to the report, the canal stretch had remained neglected for years and was affected by dirt, waste and debris. A broader clearance drive was undertaken before the ghat was developed, and encroachments were removed from both sides. The project therefore combines festival infrastructure with a cleanup and public-space intervention along an existing water corridor.
Three bridges are also being constructed across the canal to improve movement and connectivity between its two sides. The full 11-kilometre area will be available for Chhath worship this year, while the bridges, landscaping and other remaining development works are targeted for completion within the next two to three months.
The Delhi government expects the project to benefit residents across five assembly constituencies: Shalimar Bagh, Wazirpur, Model Town, Adarsh Nagar and Badli. It said thousands of families, particularly those with links to eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, will gain access to a larger and better-equipped venue for Chhath worship.
The immediate milestone is the scheduled inauguration on 12 November. Further work on the three bridges, greenery and associated public-space improvements is expected to continue over the following two to three months, according to the government’s stated timeline.
