Delhi prepares 1,482 Chhath Puja ghats, 11-km Munak Canal stretch to be inaugurated

The Delhi government has stepped up arrangements for Chhath Puja, which will be celebrated from November 13 to 16, with 1,482 ghats and temporary water bodies being made available across the national capital for devotees to perform the rituals.

Officials said preparations were being monitored at multiple locations on Wednesday, with Delhi Assembly Speaker and other key functionaries overseeing the arrangements. The government has engaged 74 agencies and awarded 155 projects to develop and maintain the ghats.

One of the major attractions this year will be an approximately 11-km-long Chhath ghat along the Munak Canal, which the government has described as the longest of its kind in Delhi and the first such project in the country to be developed along a canal. The facility is scheduled to be inaugurated by BJP national president Nitin Nabin on Thursday in Shalimar Bagh.

11-km Munak Canal ghat developed after clearing waste and encroachments

According to the Chief Minister's Office, the new ghat has been developed by redeveloping disused sections of the Munak Canal. Around 1,400 truckloads of waste and filth were removed during the work.

Encroachments along both banks have also been cleared, while permanent steps and paved roads are being constructed to improve access for devotees and visitors.

The government has additionally arranged changing rooms, toilets, tents and adequate lighting to facilitate the rituals and ensure that people can use the site comfortably.

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the Munak Canal had been awaiting a transformation for several years and that her government had changed its appearance within a year.

"Chhath is a festival that reflects our culture's gratitude towards nature, the well-being and prosperity of families, and the spirit of public welfare," she said.

Hathi Ghat at ITO beautified ahead of celebrations

Public Works Department and Irrigation and Flood Control Minister Parvesh Verma has also inspected several Chhath ghats to assess the preparations.

He said Hathi Ghat at ITO had been beautified with wall paintings, repainted and filled with clean water.

Verma said Chhath Puja held special significance for lakhs of families in Delhi, particularly those belonging to the Purvanchali community.

He added that the government's priority was to ensure clean ghats, adequate facilities and a safe environment so that devotees could concentrate on their prayers without worrying about basic arrangements.

1,482 ghats to be set up across 996 locations

According to the government, a total of 1,482 ghats will be available at 996 locations across Delhi.

These include 81 permanent ghats at 53 locations and 1,372 temporary ghats at 914 locations. Another 29 ghats will be set up at 29 locations along the Yamuna.

The arrangements are being coordinated through 74 agencies, with 155 projects awarded for the development and preparation of the sites.

The facilities are intended to accommodate the large number of devotees who gather at water bodies across the capital to offer prayers to the Sun God during the festival.

Chhath Puja emerges as significant political and cultural event in Delhi

Chhath Puja has acquired considerable cultural and political significance in Delhi, where the Purvanchali community is estimated to account for more than four million constituents.

Over the past decade, the community has emerged as an important social and political constituency, while the number of locations hosting Chhath celebrations has also increased substantially.

The festival has increasingly become a point of political contest between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), with both parties seeking to connect with the Purvanchali population through festival-related arrangements and outreach.

This year's preparations, including the development of the Munak Canal ghat and the expansion of facilities across the city, come against that broader cultural and political backdrop.