Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta participated in the culminating rituals of Chhath Puja on Tuesday, offering ‘Arghya’ to the rising Sun at the ITO ghat along the Yamuna River alongside thousands of devotees. Accompanied by Culture Minister Kapil Mishra, Social Welfare Minister Ravinder Indraj, and Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa, Gupta invoked blessings from ‘Chhathi Maiya’ for a ‘Viksit Bharat’ and ‘Viksit Delhi’. She expressed profound satisfaction at the festival’s scale, highlighting her government’s transformative efforts in elevating celebrations for the Purvanchali community.

The BJP-led administration invested heavily in infrastructure, constructing dedicated ghats at 17 strategic locations directly on the Yamuna’s banks and an additional 1,300 artificial and natural sites citywide. Enhanced facilities included improved lighting, security, medical camps, and sanitation, ensuring safe and dignified observance. Gupta emphasized that Purvanchali residents, previously restricted to makeshift ponds due to river pollution and access issues, could now perform rituals in the Yamuna’s waters—a symbolic restoration of cultural heritage.

“This grandeur reflects our commitment to faith and fraternity,” Gupta stated, noting nationwide appreciation for Delhi’s arrangements. The festival, a rigorous three-day vow involving fasting, holy dips, and offerings to the Sun God, holds deep significance for Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh migrants, who constitute over a third of Delhi’s population. The government deployed over 5,000 personnel for crowd management and distributed 100,000 kits with ritual essentials to support devotees.

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Environmental initiatives complemented the event, with the Yamuna cleanup drive yielding visible improvements in water quality at key ghats. Bio-remediation and desilting efforts, accelerated under Gupta’s tenure, facilitated direct river access for the first time in years. Community leaders praised the administration for integrating tradition with urban development, marking a departure from past restrictions imposed during high pollution periods.

As the festival concluded with evening ‘Arghya’ to the setting Sun, Gupta reiterated her vision of inclusive governance. The successful organization of Chhath Puja 2025 not only strengthened cultural bonds but also showcased Delhi’s capacity to host large-scale religious events with efficiency and respect, setting a benchmark for future administrations in managing diverse demographic needs.

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