New Delhi: For the first time, Delhi residents celebrating Chhath Puja, a major festival for people from Bihar and Eastern Uttar Pradesh, will benefit from an extended public holiday. This marks a significant departure from the previous standard of a single day off.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta emphasized that this year’s Chhath celebration will be accorded the same grandeur as Diwali, celebrating it “on the path of duty.”
जैसे दिल्ली ने पहली बार दिवाली को दीपों की भव्यता और एकता के साथ कर्तव्य पथ पर मनाया, वैसे ही अब आस्था का महापर्व छठ भी उसी श्रद्धा, उसी उत्साह और उसी गरिमा के साथ यमुना किनारे मनाया जाएगा।#ChhathPuja pic.twitter.com/Tf2kuQUcf4
— Rekha Gupta (@gupta_rekha) October 22, 2025
The government’s preparations extend beyond the holiday declaration:
- Model Ghats: The Delhi government is constructing model Chhath ghats at 17 locations along the Yamuna river, with some stretching several kilometers from Palla to Kalindi Kunj.
- Logistics: With over 1,000 applications received for organizing the puja (up from 929 last year), the government confirmed that at least one model ghat will be built in every district.
- Arrangements: Comprehensive preparations include welcome gates, cultural programs, enhanced cleanliness drives, and extensive security measures at all designated ghats. The Chief Minister herself has reportedly begun inspecting the sites.
Withdrawal of Cases and Political Context
A central element of the announcement was the promise to address past grievances related to the festival. CM Gupta directly referred to a previous ban on Chhath Puja at Yamuna Ghats and the filing of cases against devotees in 2021 by the previous administration.
पूर्व में छठ पर्व के दौरान यमुना के तट पर पूजा-अर्चना करने वाले श्रद्धालुओं पर दर्ज की गई सभी एफ़आईआर हमारी सरकार वापस लेगी।#ChhathPuja pic.twitter.com/gcFqSbPv0D
— Rekha Gupta (@gupta_rekha) October 22, 2025
“The previous government had banned Chhath Puja at the Yamuna Ghats, and cases were filed against Chhath devotees in 2021,” Gupta stated. She affirmed that her government would withdraw all those cases, a commitment immediately confirmed by Minister Kapil Mishra, who pledged to cancel all associated FIRs.
The timing and scale of this decision are being closely linked to the ongoing Bihar Assembly elections. Delhi hosts an estimated 5,00,000 Purvanchali voters, many of whom travel to their home states to participate in the elections, making outreach during a major cultural event like Chhath a strategic political move.
