NEW DELHI: Ahead of the G20 Summit, Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena on Thursday went on a final round of inspection of Rajghat, Pragati Maidan and other places to take stock of preparations for the mega event. Delhi is all decked up and set to welcome the dignitaries and delegates for the G20 Summit, Saxena said during the inspection. The summit will be held from September 9 to 10 at the newly built International Convention and Exhibition Centre at Pragati Maidan.
While inspecting Rajghat, the lieutenant governor (LG) directed that cleanliness and proper arrangements should be ensured, according to officials. He was accompanied by Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar and other senior officers.
During the two days of the summit, a number of dignitaries will be visiting Rajghat to pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi at his memorial. The LG also inspected the summit’s venue Bharat Mandapam to ensure everything was in order, officials said. The LG accompanied by senior officers took a minibus around the city, inspecting summit-related preparations, they said. He also inspected the control rooms of the Delhi Police and the Disaster Management Cell of New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), they said.
Last week, the LG had said that all preparations had been completed and final touches were being given. The Delhi Police commissioner briefed Saxena about the security preparedness and the control room where live visuals from more than 5,000 CCTV cameras installed in the city will be received.
Two teams comprising 25 security personnel will be monitoring in different shifts, the digital information being beamed into the control room around the clock.
The control room is getting district-wise visuals and a special command room has been set up for 30 senior police officials to monitor the minutest of developments in the city and its roads. He also inspected the control room of the NDMC Disaster Management Cell which is manned by senior officers and around 30 personnel who are working round the clock to immediately address complaints such as water leakage, damage of pavements, and replacement of damaged branches and flower pots.
In the past 65 days, the LG went on 59 inspection visits across the city it was his final visit today, officials said. He “minutely” inspected the areas around Raj Ghat, Dilli Gate, ITPO (the venue of the summit), Bhairon Marg, Shershah Road ‘ Delhi High Court, India Gate, Akbar Road, Lok Kalyan Marg, roundabout near Hotel Samrat and Ashoka Hotel, Kautaliya Marg, Sardar Patel Marg, Dhaula Kuan bust stop and Metro station, Vighanharta Sculpture, T3 crossing of Dwarka, Northern Access Road towards Aero City, Aero City hotels, T3 VIP lounge, Ulan Battar Marg and the inside of Air Force Station Technical Area Palam, they said.
The LG’s observations of the last-minute works were noted by the officers of PWD, NDMC, MCD, DDA, and other departments and agencies for further fine-tuning, they said. The LG laid emphasis on keeping areas around IGI Airport dust-free and replanted VIP areas, officials said.
Extensive preparations right from sprucing up civic infrastructure to security were undertaken for the mega event to be attended by more than 30 heads of state, top officials from the European Union and invited guest countries, and 14 heads of organisations.
NDMC launches hotlines for coordination, quick response
Ahead of the G20 Summit, the NDMC has introduced three dedicated phone numbers to its control room to enhance coordination among multiple agencies and ensure quick response to address a wide range of issues related to the mega event. The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) is taking proactive measures to ensure the efficient delivery of civic services and seamless coordination with various agencies during the summit, Vice-Chairman Satish Upadhyay said. The numbers are exclusively for officers and employees on duty at the NDMC Disaster Management Centre for the G20 control room and are not intended for complaints from the general public. “These dedicated contact numbers have been established to address a wide range of needs.”
Security in sensitive areas up
Delhi Police has intensified patrolling in sensitive areas across the national capital. The city is under heightened security with the Delhi Police taking every possible step to keep a watch on every nook and corner ahead of the global summit. The police have tightened security in sensitive areas including Jahangirpuri, Red Fort, Delhi University area, Adarsh Nagar, Model Town, and regions along the Outer Ring Road.
Tractor part of patrol at Raj Ghat
Amid all the ongoing security arrangements, a video of a Delhi Police team patrolling the Raj Ghat area on a tractor has emerged on social media. In a video which has been shared on social media, three policemen can be seen patrolling on a tractor near the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial complex in
Raj Ghat. While two officers sat in the front, the third policeman could be seen standing at the back of the tractor.
Mobile police station set up
Delhi Police has set up a mobile police station in the national capital so that people who want to file a complaint or lodge an FIR may find it easier to do so. The mobile police station is housed in a minibus and fitted with CCTV cameras, computers, internet, walkie-talkie and other accessories. It also has a public display system that will flash important messages amid the ongoing G20 summit.