New Delhi, 27 October (H.S.): Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday chaired a comprehensive review meeting with officials from the concerned departments, district administrations and various agencies to assess preparations for the upcoming Chhath Mahaparv. This year, foreign ambassadors and high commissioners will also be invited to the celebrations. The Chief Minister directed officials to take steps towards declaring Monday, November 16, a public holiday.

During the meeting, Gupta said Chhath Mahaparv was an important festival deeply rooted in the faith of millions of devotees. She emphasised that the government had a responsibility to ensure a clean, safe and convenient environment for devotees observing the fast and their families. She directed officials to complete all major arrangements at least two days before the festival.

The special meeting was attended by Cabinet Minister Kapil Mishra; Chhath Puja committee office-bearers and MLAs Abhay Kumar Verma, Chandan Kumar Chaudhary and Sandeep Sehrawat; and officials from the Revenue Department, Delhi Police, Traffic Police, Delhi Jal Board, Municipal Corporation of Delhi, New Delhi Municipal Council, Public Works Department, Irrigation and Flood Control Department, Fire Services and other concerned agencies.

Officials informed the meeting that Chhath Puja celebrations would begin on November 13 and continue until November 16. Taking into account the possibility of cold weather in November, the Chief Minister directed officials to make special arrangements to protect devotees from the elements.

She said weather conditions this year differed from those of the previous year and instructed officials to install adequately covered tents at large and medium-sized ghats wherever required. Tents must also be provided behind the stages, at the main worship areas and at other essential locations. Additional tents should be installed at major model ghats according to requirements.

Officials said more than 1,400 ghats were likely to be set up across Delhi for Chhath Puja this year, compared with 1,326 ghats last year. Gupta directed the concerned departments to complete the basic preparations at all ghats by November 6, leaving only tasks such as filling them with water, erecting tents and carrying out final cleaning for the subsequent days.

She instructed district administrations and the concerned departments to conduct regular inspections of ghats in their respective jurisdictions and ensure that any deficiencies were rectified on the spot.

The Chief Minister also directed officials to ensure adequate toilets and changing rooms for women. Emphasising the importance of cleanliness and purity during the festival, she said these facilities required particular attention. The concerned departments were instructed to maintain cleanliness not only at the ghats but also throughout the surrounding areas.

CMGupta said cleaning operations should be carried out before the evening Sandhya Arghya, again after the evening prayers and immediately after the morning Usha Arghya. In view of the large crowds expected on November 15 and 16, sanitation workers and additional cleaning teams must remain operational round the clock. Adequate numbers of large dustbins should be installed, and waste must be removed continuously rather than allowing it to accumulate.

The Chief Minister directed the concerned departments to inspect roads leading to the ghats and ensure that they were free of potholes, loose stones, debris and other obstructions. Roads must be properly maintained, while regular water sprinkling should be undertaken to control dust and maintain a dust-free environment.

She instructed officials to make full use of available sprinklers and other machinery, stressing that equipment should not merely be kept on standby but deployed continuously wherever necessary. Old stones and debris lying on central road dividers and at repair sites must also be cleared.

Highlighting the importance of adequate lighting on routes leading to the ghats, Gupta said no road should be left in darkness and that all dark spots must be eliminated.

She further directed officials to ensure CCTV surveillance at large and crowded ghats and called for close coordination among the Delhi Police, district administrations and other concerned agencies. Fire tenders should be stationed near such ghats, while the Traffic Police must coordinate with local organisers in advance to communicate arrangements for parking, traffic diversions and road closures wherever required.

The Chief Minister also called for improved facilities at model Chhath ghats. She directed officials to install prominent entrance gates at major ghats that would be clearly visible from the main roads. At large model ghats, LED screens should continuously display content related to Chhath Puja, along with videos highlighting public welfare schemes implemented by the Delhi government.

This year, foreign ambassadors and high commissioners will also be invited to participate in the Chhath Puja celebrations. Officials were asked to explore the possibility of organising the event at Sur Ghat or another suitable, well-prepared venue in coordination with the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR).

The meeting also discussed declaring a public holiday on the day following the festival’s morning *Usha Arghya*, keeping the convenience of devotees in mind. The Chief Minister directed officials to take steps towards declaring Monday, November 16, a public holiday.

The meeting also reviewed arrangements for passengers travelling to Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh during the festival, when railway stations are expected to witness a surge in footfall. Gupta directed officials to coordinate with the Ministry of Railways to facilitate passenger movement and manage crowds effectively.

She stressed that equal attention must be given to the convenience of people travelling by bus. The concerned authorities were instructed to ensure adequate information facilities, banners and crowd-management arrangements at Inter-State Bus Terminals (ISBTs). Civil Defence personnel may also be deployed wherever necessary to assist passengers and manage crowds.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar