Delhi has officially gained a new 11-km-long Chhath Ghat situated along the Munak Canal, inaugurated on Thursday by BJP national president Nitin Nabin. Located near Singalpur village in the Shalimar Bagh area of North Delhi, the site has been developed by the Irrigation and Flood Control (I&FC) department to serve as both a religious and recreational space.
To prepare the area for the festival, which takes place from November 13 to 16, the government undertook an extensive cleaning operation that involved the removal of approximately 1,400 truckloads of debris, garbage, and overgrown vegetation. According to a statement from the Chief Minister’s Office, the project is designed to benefit families living across five assembly constituencies: Shalimar Bagh, Wazirpur, Model Town, Adarsh Nagar, and Badli.
The ghat features permanent steps and cemented roads constructed along both banks to assist devotees during their rituals. Additional infrastructure includes changing rooms, toilets, tents, benches, and improved lighting, alongside green spaces and newly installed fountains. Security measures have been bolstered with the installation of CCTV cameras across the stretch.
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta stated that while the site is ready for this year's Chhath Puja, remaining development work is scheduled to conclude over the next two to three months. This includes the construction of three bridges across the canal to improve connectivity between the two banks. To ensure a consistent flow of clean water for the rituals, officials from the Delhi Jal Board confirmed that water would be released from the Haiderpur Water Treatment Plant into the canal.
Key facts
- The new Chhath Ghat spans 11 kilometres along the Munak Canal in North Delhi.
- BJP national president Nitin Nabin inaugurated the facility on Thursday.
- Approximately 1,400 truckloads of waste were removed to restore the site.
- Delhi is preparing a total of 1,482 ghats across 996 locations for the festival.
- Water will be sourced from the Haiderpur Water Treatment Plant for the canal.
Why it matters
The development is part of a larger city-wide effort to formalise preparations for Chhath Puja, with 74 different agencies engaged in the process. Public Works Department (PWD) and I&FC Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh noted that the government’s objective is to provide a safe, clean environment for devotees to perform their prayers, including the traditional 'arghya' to the sun.
Background
The Munak Canal area had remained largely neglected for nearly two decades before the government initiated the recent cleaning and development drive to transform the banks into organised religious spaces.
Source: Livemint, Indian Express
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