In a significant relief for devotees celebrating the auspicious festival of Chhath Puja, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has announced special early morning arrangements. On Monday, November 16, Delhi Metro services will commence one and a half hours ahead of the normal schedule, starting at 4:30 AM to facilitate those heading to various ghats and worship sites for Usha Arghya.
Normally, metro operations across the network begin at 6:00 AM, but keeping the massive rush and religious importance of Chhath Mahaparv in mind, DMRC has put special arrangements in place across all metro lines. According to DMRC, metro trains will start operating from all terminal stations at 4:30 AM on Monday morning. During this initial period, trains will be available at a frequency of 15 minutes across all lines. This special arrangement will continue until the regular time-table takes over, after which normal train operations will resume.
On the final day of Chhath Puja, devotees traditionally head towards river banks, water bodies, and designated worship spots early in the morning to offer prayers and 'Usha Arghya' to the rising sun. A massive population originating from Bihar and Purvanchal resides in Delhi and celebrates this festival with great fervor. During such times, the availability of smooth public transport is extremely vital for commuters. Starting the metro services early won't only help people reach the ghats conveniently but will also reduce dependency on private vehicles, thereby easing morning traffic congestion.
Delhi Transport Minister Dr, while pankaj Kumar Singh stated that this special arrangement will provide immense convenience for lakhs of devotees from Delhi and Purvanchal travelling to offer Usha Arghya during Chhath Mahaparv. He emphasized that the Delhi Government remains fully committed to ensuring easy transport and optimum convenience for all devotees throughout the festival duration.
It's noteworthy that Chhath Mahaparv is a four-day rigorous festival where devotees observe strict rituals while worshipping the Sun God and Chhathi Maiya. The festival concludes on the final morning with prayers offered to the rising sun. With DMRC implementing this early operational schedule, Monday morning is expected to witness smooth and hassle-free travel for commuters reaching their respective worship destinations.