Delhi CM directs officials to ensure smooth Chhath celebrations

New Delhi: Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Friday reviewed arrangements for Chhath Puja and directed officials to ensure devotees face no inconvenience during the festival

New Delhi: Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Friday reviewed arrangements for Chhath Puja and directed officials to ensure devotees face no inconvenience during the festival.

People ar a roadside Chhath Puja market in Geeta Colony on Friday. (RAJ K RAJ /HT PHOTO)

At a meeting at Janseva Sadan, Gupta reviewed arrangements for electricity, water, sanitation, security, traffic management and medical facilities.

“Chhath Puja is a chief festival for millions of people, particularly those from eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar living in Delhi, and the officials must ensure a safe and clean environment for devotees,” she said.

The chief minister has also been visiting various ghats to take stock of preparations, while district magistrates are conducting joint inspections with Chhath Puja committees and concerned agencies, according to an official statement.

Delhi Police will oversee security and law and order, while traffic police will manage vehicular movement and ensure emergency routes remain accessible. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi and the New Delhi Municipal Council have been tasked with sanitation, waste collection and disposal.

The Delhi Jal Board will provide water tankers and drinking water, while the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board will arrange mobile toilets. Power distribution companies have been tasked with arranging lights at the ghats and approach roads.

Medical teams, including doctors, paramedical staff and ambulances, will be deployed at major ghats. The Health Department and Centralised Accident and Trauma Services will coordinate with nearby hospitals to respond to emergencies.

The chief minister has also directed departments to continue cleanliness drives after the festival and submit compliance reports, supported by photographs, documenting the condition of each ghat.

Meanwhile, the Irrigation and Flood Control department has begun installing 100 special Chhath tanks across the Capital. The initiative aims to ensure convenient arrangements for devotees observing the Chhath festival in areas where excavation is not permitted or where space constraints make it difficult to construct traditional ghats, said Delhi Irrigation and Flood Control minister Parvesh Verma.

“As part of this initiative, two Chhath tanks were installed at Ashoka Road and South Avenue. These tanks can also be used for other religious celebrations and events, such as Durga Puja, Ganesh Visarjan and Saraswati Puja. Our commitment is to ensure that nowhere in Delhi should a lack of space or any other constraint become an obstacle to anyone’s faith and traditions,” he said in a post on X.