CM reviews Chhath Mahaprov preparations, declares 90 ghats safe, inspection of 13 ongoing

The Bihar government has accelerated preparations to ensure the convenience and safety of lakhs of devotees during the Chhath Mahaprov. Ensuring the safety of the Chhath ghats along the banks of the Ganga in Patna poses a major challenge for the administration. In this regard, Chief Minister Smriti Irani inspected various ghats via video conferencing for the second time on Tuesday. During the review, 90 out of 103 ghats were declared safe, while the inspection of the safety of 13 ghats is ongoing. The Chief Minister directed officers to ensure there is no lapse in the arrangements for the safety, cleanliness, and movement of Chhath devotees.

The Chief Minister began his inspection from Nasiriganj Ghat and reviewed various locations including Collectorat Ghat, Gandhi Ghat, Pehlwana Ghat, Gulabi Ghat, Choudhary Tola Ghat, Pathri Ghat, Gai Ghat, and Bhadr Ghat, up to Mahavir Ghat. On this occasion, he directed that special arrangements be made for the safety of Chhath devotees, taking into account the water flow and water level of the Ganga. After the inspection, the Chief Minister stated that out of a total of 103 Chhath ghats in Patna, 90 have been declared completely safe, while the situation of the remaining 13 ghats is under review. He said that the district administration and the state government are working to ensure that no devotee faces any difficulty during Chhath. The Chief Minister directed officers to complete the arrangements for cleanliness, lighting, barricading, and other basic facilities at all safe ghats in time. He instructed that dangerous spots be identified based on the water level and flow of the Ganga, and strong protective barricading along with necessary warning boards be installed there. He said that appropriate barricading should also be done on the roads leading to the ghats and along the Ganga bank roads so that the movement of Chhath devotees and worshippers remains organized and easy. Special attention should also be paid to improving the traffic system so that unnecessary crowds and disorder do not arise anywhere during the festival. The Chief Minister also directed that information about the facilities available at the ghats, safety instructions, and other necessary information be continuously broadcast via megaphones so that devotees receive timely information and immediate action can be taken in any emergency. He appealed to people residing outside Bihar to return home and celebrate the Chhath Mahaprov. He said that Chhath is Bihar's own great festival, in which Arghya is offered to the rising and setting sun. In view of the religious and cultural importance of this festival, the government is making all necessary arrangements.

During the inspection, Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary, BJP National President Nitin Gaur, Health Minister Nishant, Cooperative Minister Ram Krupal Yadav, Urban Development and Housing Minister Nitish Mishra, BJP State President Sanjay Sarangi, former Health Minister Mangal Pandey, MLAs Sanjeev Chaurasia, Ratanish Kumar, and Sanjay Kumar, Patna Mayor Sita Sahu, and Deputy Mayor Reshmi Chandronshi, among several public representatives, were present. On this occasion, Chief Secretary Pratyush Amrit, DGP Priyanka Varma, Development Commissioner Meher Kumar Singh, Patna District Magistrate Kandan Kumar, SSP Kartikya K. Sharma, and senior officers from various departments were also present.