During G20, CBRN teams deployed at venues, hotels in Delhi

Eleven CBRN defence teams of the NDRF were deployed at the G20 Summit venue in Delhi, along with four hazmat vehicles, to deal with emergencies and threats.

Eleven specialised chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) defence teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were deployed at the venue — Bharat Mandapam — as well as the different hotels hosting the delegates to deal with emergencies and threats during the recently concluded G20 Summit, people aware of the matter said on Monday.

The ministry of home affairs (MHA) approved four hazmat vehicles that were secretly parked and ready for use in case of an attack during the summit. (HT Photo)

An officer aware of the matter said that this was the first time that CBRN teams of the NDRF were put on standby as a security measure. This apart, the ministry of home affairs (MHA) had also approved four hazmat vehicles that were secretly parked and ready for use in case of an attack during the summit.

The four hazmat vehicles were manufactured by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) in Pune and can accommodate at least eight NDRF personnel to any site of CBRN disaster.

NDRF has a separate CBRN unit that is sent to places where incidents related to such threats are reported. Earlier this year, NDRF teams were rushed to Ludhiana in Punjab, when a chemical gas leakage led to 11 deaths.

With the summit over, two hazmat vehicles will be kept in Delhi while the other two will be sent to other states. The vehicles were brought to Delhi earlier this month by NDRF chief Atul Karwal. The force had placed the order for hazmat vehicles in January 2023.

NDRF inspector general (IG), NS Bundela confirmed that CBRN teams were posted in the city. “Our teams were working with the Delhi Police. For administrative reasons, we prepared a cluster of hotels and assigned 11 such teams. They were fully equipped to deal with any emergency. One team also covered Gurugram where the head of one state and his contingency were put up,” said Bundela.

Bundela said that the vehicles are equipped with sensors to detect the type of radiation and its levels. “The vehicle is connected to the control room and tells the type of radiation... the vehicle will help rescuers work in the site of the leak of attack and also ensure their safety,” he added.

For the G20 summit, parts of Delhi were transformed into a fortress with exclusive corridors in place for the movement of vehicles ferrying the delegates. Even as police and paramilitary forces secured the road, hotels, and venue, the Indian Air Force had also worked out an elaborate plan to guard Delhi’s skies during the summit. The IAF had roped in fighter jets, surface-to-air missiles, and anti-drone systems to deal with aerial threats.