Delhi L-G chairs meeting to review preparedness for G-20 Summit

He said it is an opportunity for the city to showcase itself to the world and emerge as a city which is "forever clean and forever in celebration."

New Delhi, Dec 15: Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena held a high-level meeting here on Wednesday to review the preparations for the G-20 Summit and other mega events the national capital would host in the coming days.

Saxena said that the city infrastructure and landscape will be overhauled and revamped that will change the face of the national capital for a long time to come. He underlined the G-20 Summit as an unprecedented opportunity for the city to showcase itself to the world and emphasized that this milestone should be utilized by Delhi to emerge as a city which is "forever clean and forever in celebration."

According to a statement issued by Raj Niwas, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, ministers Kailash Gahlot and Shri Raaj Kumar Anand, the Chief Secretary, the Commissioner of Police and other officials were present at the meeting. The Chief Minister could not attend the meeting as he was indisposed, added the release.

It is to be noted that Delhi will host as many as 8 major events in 2023. The first event will begin on 1 March 2023 when the G-20 Foreign Ministers will meet in the city which will culminate in the summit meeting of the Head of the governments/States on 9-10 September 2023.

The Lt. Governor pointed out that there were just 108 days left until the first event in March and only 250 days left until the G-20 Summit in September 2023. This, he underlined, while on one hand provided a very tight timeline for tasks to be completed, on the other hand also provided the city with an opportunity to overhaul and revamp itself in record time.

The L-G called for seamless coordination between various implementing agencies and exhorted all to work as a team. Any lapse in delivery will be taken extremely seriously with responsibilities being fixed and stringent action being taken, Saxena cautioned.

In his address, Sisodia too described the forthcoming Summit and the related events thereof as a big opportunity for the city as also a massive responsibility for the government to ensure Delhi's success as a host city. In a presentation piloted by the NDMC Chairman, the following were identified as thrust areas where set goals and targets were to be achieved as per a given timeline:

Delhi's infrastructure: This will include improving road infrastructure, travel and transportation, improving walkability, refurbishing signages, beautifying under side of flyovers, sprucing up of roads and footpaths, availability of drinking water in public places and putting in place, foolproof and permanent measures for preventing water-logging, owing to the fact that 06 out of 08 events including the Summit were scheduled to be held in the city, when the monsoons will yet be active.

Sanitation and beautification: This will include waste management by way of ensuring total segregation and installation of quality dustbins across the city, identification and cleaning of central and side verges of all PWD and MCD roads, and a concerted effort to fast-track the flattening of all existing landfill sites with the aim of completing works on the Okhla landfill site before the events commenced. Apart from these, beautification of markets and public places and installation of public sculptures across the city will be ensured.

Showcasing Indian culture: This will include overhaul, maintenance, landscaping and façade, illumination of monuments like Qutub Minar, Lodi Garden, Red Fort, Purana Quila, Humayun's Tomb and Sunder Nursery, etc. Apart from this, iconic markets like Connaught Place, Chandni Chowk, Khan Market and Dilli Haat will be spruced up and overhauled. Visits of G-20 delegates and visitors to iconic markets and "langars" at places like Bangla Sahib Gurdwara and ISKCON temple will be organized.

Citizens' engagement and youth participation: This will include improving road and sanitary discipline by encouraging residents of the city to voluntarily participate, and organizing events like G-20 Marathon, weekend community events, campaign on social media platforms, decorated autos/rickshaws, metro and buses, essay writing, debates, art and photography competitions, wall expression on the theme of G-20, model G-20 discussions, etc.

Summit documentation will also be carried out to ensure that the learnings and experiences are recorded for posterity and branding and communication exercises revolving around the G-20 themes of "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam" and "Atithi Devobhava" to be ensured. Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot assured that all required steps with regard to acquisition of electric buses and branding of public transport will be completed on time.