Delhi govt declares public holiday on Chhath puja; offices to remain closed on Oct 26

Lt Governor Anil Baijal has approved the Delhi government’s proposal to declare October 26 a public holiday on the occasion of Chhath puja in the city, an official said on Tuesday.

Delhi government offices will be shut on October 26 in the national capital.

Last year too, the AAP government had declared the public holiday on the occasion of this festival in Delhi.

“The L-G has approved the government’s proposal to declare a public holiday on October 26 on the occasion of Chhath Puja,” said the official, who did not wish to be named.

Meanwhile, with the beginning of the four-day festival in the city, the Delhi government said that it has chalked out a plan to check arrangements at all ghats by the ministers, including the chief minister, MLAs and officers concerned.

Development Minister Gopal Rai said that the government had developed 565 Chhath ghats across the city which include 50 permanent ghats.

The remaining are semi-pucca ghats. These have been made for the ease of the people for performing the puja, he told reporters here.

Rai said that the AAP government had allocated Rs 20 crore in its Budget for developing the Chhath ghats.

“MLAs, SDMs, assistant engineers, junior engineers will inspects all the ghats in their respective areas and will take stock of situation on October 25 and 26, while the chief minister and all the ministers will inspect the ghats next day, during the celebration,” he said.

According to the minister, the revenue department and the Delhi Tirth Yatra Samiti will arrange for the tents, temporary toilets, ambulances, lighting, seating arrangements, drinking water and other requisite arrangements.