NEW DELHI: Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has announced that this year’s Chhath Puja will be celebrated on both banks of the Yamuna River.
The government will make special arrangements so that devotees can perform rituals comfortably and without inconvenience. In preparation, the Chief Minister convened a high-level meeting at the Delhi Secretariat on Monday.
Gupta said that the festival of Chhath is about “faith, nature and emotions,” and her government’s priority is to ensure it is celebrated in a safe, clean and well-organised manner. She assured that wherever Chhath Puja is held in the capital—on Yamuna banks, canals or ponds—the government will take full responsibility for arrangements.
The Chief Minister clarified that immersion in the Yamuna is prohibited under existing rules, adding that immersion is not part of Chhath rituals. Highlighting the growing Purvanchal population in Delhi, she said Chhath Puja will be organised along both banks of the Yamuna from Palla in the north to Okhla in the south, with full facilities for devotees wherever suitable riverbanks are available.
Gupta directed officials to prepare every stretch of the Yamuna for the festival, while traditional sites like ITO and Okhla ghats will be upgraded. Officials have been instructed to maintain cleanliness at all sites, sprinkle water to prevent dust, and ensure robust safety and traffic arrangements through police and traffic police. Medical facilities will also be provided where needed. The Irrigation Department has been tasked with removing water hyacinth from the Yamuna before the festival, while special lighting arrangements will be made so that devotees face no difficulty.
The Chief Minister further informed that in addition to the Yamuna banks, Chhath Puja is also held at the Munak Canal, Mungeshpur Drain, and at several artificial ponds in Delhi. In total, the capital hosts rituals at 929 sites, with the government ensuring complete arrangements at each. Institutions requiring a No Objection Certificate (NOC) will be issued one without delay.
Gupta added that she would personally inspect the Yamuna and other sites to ensure there are no shortcomings. Special locations will also be identified for major celebrations, and if additional water is needed, the Delhi government will seek supply from Haryana.