Delhi is preparing more than 1,400 Chhath ghats for this year’s festival, while the government has instructed authorities to keep November 16 as a public holiday and complete essential arrangements for devotees across the capital.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta reviewed the preparations with officials from relevant departments and district administrations on Tuesday. She directed authorities to prioritise public convenience, safety and cleanliness at all designated ghats and said that lapses in basic arrangements would not be tolerated, according to the report by Jagran – New Delhi.
The planned number of ghats is higher than last year’s 1,326. Chhath Puja will be observed from November 13 to November 16, with devotees expected to gather at water bodies and temporary facilities for the evening and morning rituals.
The chief minister instructed officials to complete the initial preparation of the ghats by November 6. Major arrangements are to be in place two days before the festival. These preparations include toilets, changing rooms for women and adequate lighting at the sites and along access routes.
Closed-circuit television cameras will be used to monitor major and crowded ghats. Fire tenders are to be stationed near larger locations to respond to emergencies, while police and district administration officials have been asked to improve coordination during the festival period.
The directions also cover the roads leading to the ghats. Officials have been told to repair damaged stretches, control dust and remove potholes, construction debris and other obstructions. The measures are intended to make access easier for devotees and reduce risks around crowded routes.
Waste management will continue after both the evening arghya and the morning Usha arghya. Additional cleaning teams are to be deployed after the rituals, with instructions for continuous garbage collection and the installation of an adequate number of large bins at the ghats.
The public-holiday instruction for November 16 is linked to the main day of Chhath observance. The report does not specify whether a separate formal notification containing the holiday arrangements has been issued. The implementation of the preparations will therefore depend on coordination between the Delhi government, civic agencies, police, fire services and district administrations before the festival begins.
