20K cops on ground for Unesco world heritage panel meet in Capital

Teams will be deployed at the Indira Gandhi International Airport, 15 designated hotels where dignitaries and delegates would be staying, Bharat Mandapam at Pragati Maidan, important heritage sites across the Capital

Delhi Police will deploy around 20,000 police personnel, including 100 quick response teams, besides 25 ambulances and firefighting teams, for the Unesco World Heritage Committee meet, which will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday at Bharat Mandapam, officials aware of the development said.

The event will be held at Bharat Mandapam from July 21 to 31. (HT Archive)

Teams will be deployed at the Indira Gandhi International Airport, 15 designated hotels where dignitaries and delegates would be staying, Bharat Mandapam at Pragati Maidan, important heritage sites across the Capital and along roads dignitaries will be travelling, they said.

Special commissioner of police (CP) Dependra Pathak, who is the security in charge for the event, said that several disaster management teams will be stationed at strategic locations. “Over 50 rooms have been blocked in different hotels for Unesco Secretariat, including its director general Audrey Azoulay. For the DG, all security protocols will be followed. As many as 40 Volvo and Toyota coaches and 50 high-end Mercedes S Class, E Class and Toyota Innova taxis will be provided for pick and drop from airport to hotel and hotels to the venue, to the foreign delegates. Traffic bubbles will be created for delegates,” he said.

This is the 46th edition of the meeting, which India will be hosting for the first time. It will take place from July 21 to 31.

Sixty security wing personnel will be deployed at each designated hotel and over 200 personnel will be stationed at Bharat Mandapam, he said.

Lieutenant governor (LG) VK Saxena, while reviewing the preparedness for the session on Thursday, directed the Central Public Works Department (CPWD), Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and Public Works Department (PWD), to put in place a contingency plan to deal with potential heavy waterlogging around Pragati Maidan, Rajghat and other key areas.

A senior officer at the LG secretariat said that Saxena also monitored beautification around the venue, important intersections and flyovers. “All agencies have been asked to improve areas surrounding monuments and cleanliness around the venue. The power distribution company BSES has been asked to ensure uninterrupted power supply. Besides, in honour of the delegates, the LG will also host a cultural evening, followed by dinner, at Purana Quila on Thursday,” he said.

A senior Delhi Police officer said law and order will be supervised jointly by special CPs (law and order) Ravinder Singh Yadav and Madhup Tiwari, while traffic movement on different routes of the dignitaries will be monitored by special CP (traffic) HGS Dhaliwal. “The specialised training of the officers has been completed. Besides anti-terror measures, picketing will be ensured across the city and on interstate borders,” the office, asking not to be named, said.