📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Gaurav Dhwaj Khadka
Religion
Bihar Orders All Districts to Tighten Chhath Safety, Bans Private Boats
✍️ Indian Masterminds
🗓 11 Nov 2026, 12:19 PM
👁 8
The Bihar government has instructed every district to reinforce safety measures for the upcoming Chhath Puja and has prohibited the use of private boats for pilgrim transport.
Patna – The state administration issued a circular on Tuesday directing all 38 districts of Bihar to step up safety arrangements ahead of the annual Chhath Puja, one of the most widely observed Hindu festivals in the region. The order calls for the deployment of additional police personnel, medical teams and crowd‑control infrastructure at riverbanks and ghats where devotees gather to offer prayers to the Sun God.
A key provision of the directive is a blanket ban on private boats that are not owned or operated by government agencies. The ban aims to prevent overcrowding and unregulated ferry services that have previously led to accidents during the festival’s peak days.
District collectors are required to submit detailed safety plans within seven days, outlining measures such as rope barriers, floating buoys, and real‑time monitoring of water levels. The state disaster management department will oversee compliance and conduct spot inspections throughout the Chhath period, which begins next week.
Officials said the move is preventive, citing past incidents where overloaded vessels capsized, causing loss of life. By restricting transport to authorized boats, the government hopes to ensure a smoother flow of pilgrims while minimizing the risk of mishaps on the Ganga and its tributaries.
The circular also urges local municipalities to improve lighting, sanitation and emergency response capabilities at major puja sites, reinforcing the administration’s broader effort to make the festival safe for the estimated millions of participants expected this year.
A key provision of the directive is a blanket ban on private boats that are not owned or operated by government agencies. The ban aims to prevent overcrowding and unregulated ferry services that have previously led to accidents during the festival’s peak days.
District collectors are required to submit detailed safety plans within seven days, outlining measures such as rope barriers, floating buoys, and real‑time monitoring of water levels. The state disaster management department will oversee compliance and conduct spot inspections throughout the Chhath period, which begins next week.
Officials said the move is preventive, citing past incidents where overloaded vessels capsized, causing loss of life. By restricting transport to authorized boats, the government hopes to ensure a smoother flow of pilgrims while minimizing the risk of mishaps on the Ganga and its tributaries.
The circular also urges local municipalities to improve lighting, sanitation and emergency response capabilities at major puja sites, reinforcing the administration’s broader effort to make the festival safe for the estimated millions of participants expected this year.