NEW DELHI:Â The national capital is gearing up to celebrate Chhath Puja on the ghats of the Yamuna after a gap of several years, with the BJP-led Delhi government making extensive preparations to ensure that this year’s festival becomes a memorable and spiritually enriching experience for the Purvanchali community. Describing Chhath as “a festival that embodies collective faith, devotion, and unity,” Minister Mishra [referencing Kapil Mishra, per context below] reaffirmed the government’s commitment to providing a safe, clean, and respectful environment for all worshippers. “We will ensure that every ghat is equipped with proper cleanliness, lighting, safety measures, and medical facilities,” he emphasized, appealing to citizens to cooperate with authorities and maintain discipline during the festival period.
Notably, every year in October the foam over the Yamuna’s surface typically appears during winter, especially after Diwali, due to the discharge of untreated sewage and industrial waste into the river. In previous years, images of women devotees performing Chhath rituals while standing in the frothy water had sparked widespread criticism from Opposition leaders and environmental activists. Taking stock of the issues, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta assured the people of Delhi that foam or froth will not be seen on the surface of the Yamuna during the upcoming Chhath festival, emphasizing that rapid work is underway to rejuvenate the polluted river. Addressing the media, CM said, “Jaise in baar Minto Bridge mein paani nahi dekha, waise hi Dilli ki janta ko is baar Yamuna mein jhaag pehle jaise nahi dikhegi”, meaning that just as waterlogging at Minto Bridge was not seen this year, the people of Delhi will also not witness the usual froth on the Yamuna during Chhath.
On the other hand, to review the preparations for Chhath Puja 2025, Delhi’s Minister Kapil Mishra, chaired a high-level meeting earlier this week. He issued detailed directions to all concerned departments, including the MCD, DDA, Delhi Jal Board, Irrigation & Flood Control, and Forest & Environment departments. The meeting focused on inter-departmental coordination and assessing the progress of ongoing arrangements across various agencies.
Further, Minister Mishra announced that this year’s Chhath Puja celebrations would be organized at over 1,000 locations across Delhi, making it the largest-scale observance in the city’s history. After several years, special celebrations will return to the Yamuna Ghats, sparking great excitement among devotees. Alongside the Yamuna Ghats, four major venues—Dwarka, Hathi Ghat, Pitampura, and Sonia Vihar—have been chosen to host large-scale festivities. Each Chhath Ghat across the capital will feature elaborate arrangements designed to highlight the rich folk traditions and cultural vibrancy of the Purvanchal region. Minister Kapil Mishra said the Department of Art, Culture and Language has invited artists to perform folk songs, dances, and cultural programs at over 200 locations. Ghats will feature grand entry gates, statues of Chhathi Maiyya and Surya Bhagwan, and vibrant lighting, while Model Chhath Ghats will be set up as examples of ideal design and facilities. Emphasizing cleanliness and safety, Mishra instructed officials to provide mobile toilets, ambulances, and ensure fire and security arrangements at all ghats. To simplify administration, the government has launched a single-window clearance system for all permissions and NOCs, similar to those for major festivals like Kanwar Yatra, Ganesh Utsav, Durga Puja, and Ramlila.
