To assist devotees during Chhath Puja, the Delhi Metro will commence services at 4:30 AM on November 16, 2026. Trains will operate at 15-minute intervals across all lines to manage the rush for the Usha Arghya dawn prayer rituals.
Delhi Metro Announces Early Services for Chhath Puja
To facilitate the movement of devotees for the auspicious dawn offering (Usha Arghya) on the final day of Chhath Puja, Delhi Metro train services will commence operations early at 4:30 am on Monday, November 16. The services will start an hour and a half earlier than the regular schedule, with trains operating at 15-minute intervals across all lines during the early morning hours to manage the festive rush.
Sharing the update on social media platform X, BJP leader Pankaj Kumar Singh described the move as a “major gift” for devotees and the Purvanchal community across the national capital. “A major gift from the Delhi government for all Chhath devotees and worshippers in Purvanchal. To make things easier for devotees on the occasion of the dawn offering during Chhath Puja, Delhi Metro will begin services at 4:30 a.m. on Monday, November 16. Starting an hour and a half earlier than usual, the metro will run at 15-minute intervals on all lines during the early hours,” Singh said in his post.
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has also shared the update on its official handle on X, stating, “Delhi Metro to start services early on Chhath Puja. To facilitate the movement of devotees for Celebrating Usha Arghya of Chhath Puja- 2026 on Monday, 16th November 2026, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) will commence metro services from 4:30 AM instead of usual 06:00 AM from all terminal stations across the DMRC network. Metro services will operate at a 15-minute frequency on all lines until the commencement of regular revenue services, as per the scheduled timetable for the day.”
The four-day Hindu festival of Chhath Puja begins with Nahay Khay, the first ritual, during which devotees take a holy bath and prepare a traditional meal comprising Arwa rice, chana dal and lauki (bottle gourd). The ritual marks the auspicious beginning of the festival, which is dedicated to the worship of the Sun God. On the second day, known as Kharna, devotees observe a fast from sunrise to sunset, abstaining from food and water. The fast is broken after sunset following prayers and offerings of traditional prasad, usually comprising jaggery-based kheer and roti. Thereafter, devotees observe a rigorous fast lasting approximately 36 hours without food or water. On the third day, devotees gather at riverbanks and other water bodies to offer Arghya to the setting sun, a ritual known as Sandhya Arghya. The festival concludes on the fourth day with Usha Arghya, when devotees offer prayers to the rising sun at dawn. The ritual is followed by Parana, marking the conclusion of the fast. Dedicated to the worship of the Sun God, Surya, and Chhathi Maiya, the festival symbolises purity, devotion and gratitude, with devotees seeking blessings for the health, prosperity and well-being of their families.