Heritage convention: NDMC prepares action plan to give Lutyens’ Delhi a makeover

According to an NDMC action plan, street artwork will be added, sculptures will be installed at public places, 50,000 ornamental plants will be added and cultural dinners and events will be hosted at Connaught Place

New Delhi

Beautification under way under the railway bridge near Chanakyapuri. (Arvind Yadav/HT Photo)

The New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) will undertake a series of steps, from adding street art to hosting special dinners, in Lutyens’ Delhi for the World Heritage Committee convention that will be held from July 21 to 31, senior officials said. Delegates from 142 countries are expected to attend the convention.

According to an NDMC action plan, street artwork will be added, sculptures will be installed at public places, 50,000 ornamental plants will be added and cultural dinners and events will be hosted at Connaught Place, senior NDMC functionaries said.

“Most of the delegates would be staying in hotels located in New Delhi area and the main road from the airport leading up to hotels and Sardar Patel Marg to Bharat Mandapam would be beautified for the convention,” NDMC member Kuljeet Chahal said.

During the 10-day convention, meetings, walks, presentations and conferences would be held at sites like Bharat Mandapam, Humayun’s Tomb Museum and Red Fort. The civic body’s horticulture would be adding 50,000 ornamental and flowering plants on roads leading from SP Marg to Bharat Mandapam, along with eight floral boards, with themes of world heritage, which will be placed on roundabouts and intersections near the venues and hotels.

Chahal said: “During the G20 Summit, NDMC had made several efforts to beautify the New Delhi area which was appreciated by the government, as well as delegates from all over the world. Similar efforts are being made to beatify the Lutyens Delhi area again.”

He said that the civic body is working with the ministry of culture in developing two wall art installations on India’s cultural heritage at the Safadarjung flyover and the underpass on Africa Avenue, located near Leela Palace.

“Painting work at these sites has already been initiated. Moreover, new sculptures and public art installations would be coming up at six locations. Three of these sites have been approved by the Delhi Urban Arts Commission (DUAC) and sculptures are coming up at Mandi House roundabout, Hotel Taj ManSingh roundabout and the roundabout in front of Le Meridian,” Chahal said.

Another NDMC official, not wanting to be named, said: “This event brings together delegates from across the globe to discuss and collaborate on preserving our shared cultural, natural and mixed heritages. The civic body will also be hosting a cultural dinner for young heritage professional delegates on July 24. This arrangement shall be made for 300 persons along with an arrangement of light music. We will finalise the venue for this dinner in next two days. Around 30 participants will be from India.”

The civic body will be partnering with the New Delhi Traders Association to makeover the market for international delegates. “Joint arrangement are being made with the NDTA to provide a festive look to the market and host events, especially at Connaught Place. Preparations will also be made for delegates to visit the Khan Market and Janpath Market,” the official said.

A series of Indian flags will come up along SP Marg and tree uplighters are being added near hotels, besides repairing roads along these routes, the official said.

Atul Bhargava, heads of the the New Delhi Traders Association, said they received communication from the NDMC about celebrating the heritage week. “Connaught Place is such a large area that budgets for any festivities will be required. We hope that the council will also help us monetarily,” he said.

Bhargava said that the association is all for conservation of heritage but the process for undertaking repairs inside the shops of Connaught Place should be eased. “Even for undertaking minor repairs, the process takes six to nine months. We need to balance both interests,” he said.

To tackle rain-related exigencies, the NDMC is adding 10 tractor-mounted pumps at key locations, such as Delhi Haat and Africa Avenue. “Apart from these 10 pumps, another two pumps of 6,000-litre capacity would be arranged on rented basis to address waterlogging on the convention venues,” the official said.