Chhath Ghat

The Delhi government is constructing a new Chhath ghat stretching 11 kilometres along the Munak Canal, running between Outer Ring Road and Inderlok. Once finished, officials say it will be the longest such facility in the capital.

BJP president Nitin Nabin is set to formally open the ghat near Singalpur village on November 12, a day before the four-day Chhath festival begins.

The new ghat will have stepped access on both sides along with a paved road, built to handle large numbers of worshippers from surrounding neighbourhoods.

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the government is readying more than 1,400 ghats across Delhi this year, compared with 1,326 last year, with emphasis on safety, hygiene and ease of access.

Gupta held a review meeting with festival committees and officials on Monday, telling departments to work together and ensure nothing is overlooked in the arrangements before the festival starts.

Chhath Puja draws enormous crowds in Delhi, and officials describe it as a festival tied to the faith and customs of a large section of the population. A well-built, long ghat along the canal could ease congestion and improve safety for devotees converging on riverbank and canal-side sites.

Gupta described the festival as more than a religious event, calling it a marker of unity across the city's communities.

Officials have been told to complete the groundwork at ghats well in advance, so that only final tasks such as filling water, putting up tents and cleaning remain closer to the festival dates of November 13 to 16.

Because cold weather is expected in mid-November, the CM has asked for covered tents at large and medium-sized ghats, along with functional changing rooms and toilets at major locations.

Authorities have also been directed to install CCTV cameras at key ghats, keep the sites and nearby areas clean, and check that access roads have adequate lighting.