Chhath Puja prep in disarray as MCG neglects ghat maintenance, say residents

The Rajendra Park ghat receives a footfall of nearly 4,000 to 5,000 devotees every year, but remains littered with garbage and debris.

The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) has failed to ensure upkeep of ghats for Chhath Puja in the city, residents and organising committees alleged, leaving them to depend on other groups or organisations to celebrate the four-day festival from October 25-28.

The MCG supervises around 20 ghats around the city, while a total of around 60 ghats have been prepped for the festival. (Parveen Kumar/HT photo)

The MCG supervises around 20 ghats around the city, while a total of around 60 ghats have been prepped for the festival. The MCG is responsible for the upkeep of key ghats, located at Sheetla Mata Mandir, Rajendra Park, Devi Lal Colony, and Shakti Park, among others.

Organisers at Rajendra Park said their ghat was yet to be cleaned.

Rajesh Patel, one of the organisers, said, “Despite contacting the joint commissioner and other MCG officials, our ghat is still littered with garbage and debris. We were assured that cleaning would be completed by October 24, but no follow-up or action has been taken since our meeting with the officials.”

The Rajendra Park ghat receives a footfall of nearly 4,000 to 5,000 devotees every year, but remains littered with garbage and debris. “We will wait until the afternoon of October 25. If the MCG still takes no action, we will have to get the ghat cleaned ourselves. This delay has seriously affected our preparations and dampened the festive spirit,” Patel said.

When contacted, a senior sanitation officer at MCG said he was unaware of the situation and that the ghat would be cleaned in the next 24 hours.

At Saraswati Enclave, Tarkeshwar Rail, a member of the organising committee, said that the cleaning has been completed and preparations for the “sarovar” were underway.

At Kadirpur, Randhir Ray, a member of the organising team, expressed his concern over the lack of official support. “We have been organising Chhath Puja here for the past 10 years, and every year, MCG officials conduct inspections. But this year, not a single official has visited. From cleaning the ghat to arranging water, our team has had to manage everything on our own,” he said.

Ajay Singh, a resident of Sector 82, expressed frustration over the lack of clarity and support. “Although our ghat is listed under MCG, when we asked for facilities, they directed us to the Municipal Corporation of Manesar (MCM). Meanwhile, MCM said they were not aware of any arrangements. It feels like a blame game, and we are left managing everything on our own,” he said.

Ravinder Malik, joint commissioner of MCG, said, “If the organisers have any specific requirement, they can reach out to us, and we will ensure that their needs are taken care of.”

He refuted the organisers’ claims and said officials had visited all sites for inspections.