Delhi to Set Up Over 1,400 Chhath Ghats; CM Rekha Gupta Fixes November 6 Deadline for Preparations

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday directed officials to complete basic preparations for Chhath Puja at all ghats across the city by November 6, and to personally inspect the sites to ensure the safety and convenience of devotees.

More than 1,400 ghats are expected to be set up across Delhi this year, compared with 1,326 last year, according to the Chief Minister's Office. Ms. Gupta also announced that November 16 would be a public holiday.

At a review meeting with officials of the departments concerned, the district administration and other agencies, the Chief Minister said that after the deadline, only tasks such as filling the ghats with water, installing tents and carrying out final cleaning should remain.

She asked officials to ensure that all major arrangements are in place at least two days before the festival, and not to rely solely on progress reports submitted to her office.

Labour Minister Kapil Mishra, MLAs Abhay Verma, Chandan Kumar Choudhary and Sandeep Sehrawat, and representatives of Chhath Puja committees attended the meeting.

In view of the possibility of cold weather in November, Ms. Gupta directed officials to make adequate arrangements for covered tents at large and medium-sized ghats wherever required.

Chhath Puja is a four-day festival dedicated to the Sun god, observed largely by people with roots in Bihar, Jharkhand and eastern Uttar Pradesh. Devotees offer 'arghya' to the setting and the rising sun while standing at the edge of rivers, ponds and other water bodies, and many take a holy dip during the festival.

For these devotees, the Delhi stretch of the Yamuna holds particular religious significance. The same stretch, however, is among the most polluted river stretches in the country, a matter that has drawn attention during the festival in previous years.

The Purvanchali community, with roots in eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, is a sizeable section of Delhi's population, and issues concerning the community, including arrangements for Chhath Puja and the condition of the river, feature in the city's public and electoral discourse.

Cleaning the Yamuna was among the key promises made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of the 2025 Delhi Assembly election, which returned the Bharatiya Janata Party to power in the city after 27 years. Mr. Modi underscored the party's focus on the river when he began his victory speech on February 8, 2025, with the chant, "Yamuna Maiya ki Jai."

Tuesday's review focused on the practical arrangements needed before the festival — water at the ghats, tents, lighting, cleanliness and access for devotees — with the Chief Minister stressing that officials should verify conditions on the ground themselves rather than depend on written updates.

With the festival falling in a month when Delhi's nights can turn chilly, officials have been asked to plan for shelter at the larger venues, where crowds are expected to gather in large numbers for the evening and morning rituals.