Delhi to host eight major G-20 events between March and September 2023

Opportunity to change the face of Delhi for long time to come, LG chairs meeting to review preparedness for the G-20 summit

New Delhi: Delhi will host at least eight major events during India’s G-20 presidency period, including the G-20 foreign ministers’ meet in March next year and the gathering of the G-20 heads of state in September, officials in the know of the matter said, adding lieutenant governor VK Saxena held a high-level review meeting of key state departments to take a stock of the preparations on Wednesday. Besides deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and other Delhi ministers, heads of road-owning agencies, urban local bodies as well as Delhi Police officers participated in the meeting.

New Delhi, India - September 28, 2019: A view of the illuminated Qutub Minar, in New Delhi, India, on Saturday, September 28, 2019. (Photo by Amal KS / Hindustan Times)

From December 1, 2022, India assumed the G20 presidency for a year and will chair over 200 meetings that aim to secure global economic growth and prosperity.

LG Saxena said that the G-20 summit is an opportunity for the Capital to showcase itself to the world. “This milestone should be utilised by Delhi to emerge as a city that is forever clean and forever in celebration,” he added. Over the last six months, Delhi has been undertaking several initiatives in the run-up to the presidency, including improving the stretch leading from Indira Gandhi International Airport to central Delhi.

Events to be hosted

Delhi will host eight G-20 events beginning March 1, 2023 with the meeting of G-20 foreign ministers and culminating with the meeting of heads of governments and states on September 9-10, 2023. The events include Parliament-20 summit on June 5-6; 4th sherpa meeting on September 3-6, 4th finance and Central Bank deputies meeting on September 5-6, joint sherpas and finance deputies meeting on September 6, joint finance and energy deputies meeting on September 7 and joint finance and energy ministers meeting on September 8, 2023, an official from the LG office said.

Saxena said that there were just over 100 days to the first event and added that the city needs a complete makeover and refurbishing. “This, on the one hand, provides a very tight timeline for tasks to be completed but, on the other hand, it also provides the city with an opportunity to overhaul and revamp itself in record time. There should be seamless coordination between various implementing agencies. Any lapse in delivery will be taken extremely seriously,” he said.

“We should ensure uniformity of architectural aspects of the stretch between Kartavya Path (Central Vista) where most visiting delegates will travel and other sites like the Convention Centre at Pragati Maidan. There is also a need for augmenting the 5G network in and around the summit sites, sprucing up of hotels in the NDMC area, and introduction of double-decker buses on some roads,” Saxena added.

The review meeting saw a presentation by the NDMC chairman Amit Yadav identifying key areas and targets for each agency over the next months.

Deputy CM Manish Sisodia said that these events are a big opportunity for the city and a massive responsibility for the government to ensure Delhi’s success as a host. Delhi transport minister Kailash Gahlot said that all the steps with regard to the acquisition of electric buses and branding of public transport will be completed on time.

Targets and themes

A senior official from the LG office said that the five key areas include infrastructure improvement, sanitation and beautification, showcasing Indian culture, improving citizen participation and summit-related documentation. “The infrastructure segment will include improving the road infrastructure, walkability, refurbishing of signages as well as beautifying the space under side of flyovers. Road-owning agencies have been asked to spruce up central verges and footpaths while directing that the availability of drinking water in public places is ensured,” the official said. Since six of the eight events will be held during monsoon, agencies such as the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, the Public Works Department and the Irrigation and Flood Control Department have been asked to deploy permanent measures to prevent water logging.

Sanitation targets include the installation of dustbins across the city, 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, a second official from the LG office said. “Apart from these, beautification of markets and public places and installation of public sculptures across the city will be ensured,” the official added.

As part of the initiative to showcase Indian culture, the tourism department and urban local bodies have been directed to undertake landscaping and facade illumination of key monuments such as Qutub Minar, Lodhi Garden, Red Fort, Purana Qila, Humayun’s Tomb and Sunder Nursery. “Apart from this, iconic markets such as Connaught Place, Chandni Chowk, Khan Market and Dilli Haat will be spruced up. The administration will be organising visits of G-20 delegates and visitors to iconic markets and langars (community meals) at places like Bangla Sahib and ISKCON Temple,” he added.

Officials from the LG office added that the departments will carry out several citizen participation activities including a marathon, weekend community events, social media campaigns, decorated autos rickshaws and photography competitions.