NEW DELHI: Ahead of the G-20 summit, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) will undertake various initiatives for the beautification of the roads which come under its jurisdiction. Officials said that the civic body will install various types of foliage and flower pots on sidewalks and kerbs in over 20 roads. A Horticulture department official said the installation of potted plants would be completed in the next four months.
“We have identified over 20 stretches in the areas under our jurisdiction. In the next four months, we will install potted plants. This will ensure the beautification ahead of the G20 summit,” the official said.
“We have decided to use potted plants because we don’t have much space on the sides of roads. We are looking for shrubs that have been flowering for a long time. At least they should have four-six months of flowering,” he added.
The official also said that it is the first time after the 2010 Commonwealth Games that such a proposal is being considered. However, over the period, those pots got damaged and were removed.
Some of the shrubs that have been chosen are bougainvillea, champa and cassia biflora. These varieties are drought tolerant, have flowered for several months and are well-suited for Delhi weather conditions, they said. “We were looking for plants and trees that can be grown in dry weather because in the case of potted plants, there is a requirement for a proper supply of water,” the official said.
The potted plants won’t be effective in tackling pollution but we are hopeful that they will enhance the beauty of the city, he asserted.
L-G VK Saxena directed the civic agency last month to ensure the planting of flowers and aesthetically appealing plants on the sidewalks and kerbs of roads owned by it.
The G20 Leaders’ Summit at the level of Heads of State and Government is scheduled to be held on September 9 and 10. The summit was kicked off in March with a meeting of foreign ministers from
member states.
‘MOVE TO BEAUTIFY SIDEWALKS, KERBS’
Officials said that the civic body will install various types of foliage and flower pots on sidewalks and kerbs in over 20 roads. A Horticulture department official said the installation of potted plants would be completed in the next four months. The official also said that it is the first time after the 2010 Commonwealth Games that such a proposal is being considered.