The Delhi government has declared November 16, 2026, a public holiday for Chhath Puja, while authorities prepare ghats and public facilities ahead of the four-day festival beginning November 13.
An official order said the Lieutenant Governor of the National Capital Territory of Delhi had declared November 16 a holiday in all government offices, autonomous bodies and public sector undertakings. The order identifies the occasion as Pratihar Shashthi or Surya Shashthi, commonly observed as Chhath Puja.
The holiday will close the affected government establishments for the festival day. The announcement comes as the Delhi government steps up arrangements for devotees at locations where prayers and ritual offerings will be held.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said Chhath was not merely a religious celebration but also a symbol of Delhi’s social and cultural unity. According to the government’s statement, she said devotees observing the fast and visitors should be able to celebrate the festival with faith, respect and peace of mind.
Gupta chaired a high-level review meeting on Monday and directed officials to prioritise the convenience, safety and cleanliness of devotees. The preparations include changing rooms for women, CCTV cameras at major ghats, adequate lighting, tents and round-the-clock cleaning arrangements.
The administration is also preparing an 11-kilometre-long ghat near the Munak Canal, along with several other structures for devotees to offer prayers. The arrangements indicate that the city’s preparations are focused not only on declaring a holiday but also on managing public spaces and basic services at festival locations.
The four-day Chhath festival is scheduled to begin on November 13. Devotees traditionally gather at water bodies and ghats for prayers and offerings, making access, lighting, sanitation, surveillance and crowd management important parts of the city’s preparations.
The official order applies to government offices, autonomous bodies and public sector undertakings. The government statement did not provide a list of all festival locations or specify the number of facilities being installed beyond the stated arrangements at major ghats and near the Munak Canal.
Officials are expected to continue the preparation of changing rooms, lighting, tents, CCTV coverage and cleaning services before the festival begins. The November 16 holiday will cover the establishments listed in the government order.
