Delhi decked up for four-day Chhath Puja festivities

NEW DELHI: The Delhi government is all geared up for the four-day Chhath Puja celebrations, which began on Tuesday, with elaborate arrangements and security in place at ghats across the city.

As per the government's plan, arrangements on all ghats will be supervised and inspected by a team of public representatives, officers and officials of concerned Departments.

Delhi has a sizeable population of people from these eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, who observe Chhath Puja on the banks of River Yamuna.

Some of the major ghats include Qudsia Ghat, and ghats at Wazirabad, Sonia Vihar, Najafgarh and Kalindi Kunj. Various people also observe the festival by converging at parks and gardens, where makeshift arrangements are made for the puja.

On Monday, Delhi Development Minister Gopal Rai told media persons that compared to 268 ghats last year, the Delhi government has this year developed 565 ghats for Chhath Puja across the city, which includes 50 pucca ghats.

He further said that this year the Delhi government allocated Rs 20 crore separately in its budget for developing the ghats.

Rai stated that the government had sought proposals from the MLAs and councillors and list out the places in their respective areas where ghats needed to be developed. The list was thoroughly discussed, approved and handed over to the Irrigation and Flood Control Department.

The minister personally monitored the development of the puja ghats, while Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal held a review meeting for the same.

Moreover, the Delhi government has declared October 26 as gazetted holiday for the convenience of devotees. The proposal has been forwarded to Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal for approval and notification thereof will soon be issued.

Rai said that the Revenue Department and Delhi Tirth Yatra Samiti will arrange for tents, temporary toilets, ambulances, lighting, seating arrangements and drinking water at the ghats. Disaster management teams have also been deployed at different ghats.

He further informed that MLAs, sub-divisional magistrates, assistant engineers, joint engineers will inspects all ghats in their respective areas and take stock of situation on October 25 and 26.

Additionally, the Chief Minister and other Delhi ministers will inspect the ghats on October 27.