Four-day Chhath Puja begins: all facilities in place, says CM; tents few, ghats dirty: Oppn.

Devotees taking a dip in the Yamuna on Friday. | Photo Credit: - Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Friday said preparations for Chhath Puja in Delhi were complete and that she was personally monitoring the arrangements to ensure that every devotee observing the fast has access to a safe, clean and convenient environment for offering prayers. The four-day festival dedicated to the Sun God began on Friday. It is observed by Purvanchalis and other communities in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Jharkhand.The Opposition Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress questioned the state of preparations, claiming that the arrangements were far from satisfactory and accusing the government of “playing with the faith” of the Purvanchali community in Delhi.Schools off on MondayMeanwhile, the Directorate of Education (DoE) on Friday announced that schools in Delhi will remain closed on November 16 on account of the festival. The holiday will be observed in all government, government-aided and recognised unaided private schools, as per the DoE circular.Speaking to mediapersons after inspecting various ghats and conducting a review meeting, the CM said she had directed officials to ensure that any shortcomings or obstacles are addressed immediately through coordination among the departments concerned.“The government’s endeavour is to ensure that every Purvanchali family in Delhi, along with all other devotees, can celebrate Chhath Puja with complete devotion, respect and peace of mind. Completing all arrangements within the stipulated time and ensuring their availability on the ground remain the government’s highest priorities,” she said.Ms. Gupta added that arrangements for electricity, water, roads, security, medical facilities and sanitation had been completed to ensure that devotees face no inconvenience.In a release, the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) stated that senior officials, including District Magistrates, are conducting ground inspections of the ghats in coordination with Chhath Puja committees and the agencies concerned. It added that civic authorities have been directed to conduct cleanliness drives in their respective areas and prepare compliance reports, supported by photographs, documenting the condition of each ghat.A day earlier, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president Nitin Nabin and Ms. Gupta inaugurated an 11-km-long Chhath ghat along the banks of the Munak Canal, which was completed at a cost of ₹115.29 crore, as per the CMO.‘Govt. fell short’AAP MLA from Burari Sanjeev Jha, who hails from the Purvanchali community, said he visited Shyam Ghat in Jagatpur and Shastri Park Ghat in Burari and found the arrangements for tents, lighting and cleanliness to be lacking.“At Shyam Ghat, one of Delhi’s largest ghats, barricading has been completed over a stretch of two kilometres, but proper arrangements for tents and lighting are still missing. Chhath Puja is on November 15, and as of Friday, the government has failed to prepare for a major festival like Chhath on time,” alleged Mr. Jha.The senior AAP leader added that the BJP government has made tall claims of building a Chhath ghat stretching up to 12 km. But at the existing ghats, committees are facing difficulties. “The fast has already begun, and the tents have still not been installed,” said the Opposition legislator.Delhi Congress chief Devender Yadav alleged the BJP had been misleading Purvanchalis on the state of preparations, as the Yamuna stretch from Wazirabad to Okhla has “nothing but tonnes of garbage”.Speaking to reporters at Soorghat in Wazirabad, Mr. Yadav said, “The Rekha Gupta government has pushed the Purvanchal devotees to hold the pious festival in drainwater. Devotees are being greeted by nothing but filth. The BJP has made a mockery of its responsibility towards the people.” Published - November 13, 2026 08:40 pm IST