Parks at Delhi’s GK and Chanakyapuri to mark G20 meet

An MCD official said that the process of installation of the 9 feet high three-dimensional G20 logo in the Greater Kailash Park has been completed

As part of the upcoming G20 summit in the Capital, the city will be hosting two commemorative parks in Lutyens’ Delhi and Greater Kailash. While the New Delhi Municipal Council is setting up a waste-to-art themed park featuring animals from the G20 countries in Chanakyapuri, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi has installed a G20 logo near the GK-2 M-block market, officials said.

Sculptures of national birds and animals — made from scrap metal — of G20 countries in a Chanakyapuri park. (Sanchit Khanna/HT Photo)

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An MCD official said that the process of installation of the 9 feet high three-dimensional G20 logo in the Greater Kailash Park has been completed.

“The bigger of the two GK-2 parks along the W block road, located right behind the market, is spread over an area of 13,000sqm. In the centre of park, we have installed two semicircular arc-shaped arenas with 3-5 feet high pedestals. At the centre of the first arc, a 9 feet high installation of a three-dimensional G20 logo made up of metal is made, the base of which is a lotus holding a globe. The outer arc has a series of twenty marble columns — marking the participating countries along — along with a 10 feet high global map,” the official said, asking not to be named.

The horticulture department has also installed flags of the G20 participating nations in the park — 19 countries and the European Union. The park features three entry pathways leading up to the central point. The entry points are beautified with wooden hut-shaped fixtures. “At the meeting of point of the T-shaped pathways, we have an arch of trees in semicircular shape. These trees form the background of the installation,” a second official stated. The corporation has also developed an arena with flags of the G20 countries and multiple sitting areas.

Vikram Bhasin, who heads the GK-2 M-block market welfare association, said that MCD should also work on rejuvenating the market infrastructure and pathways which are in bad shape. “Visitors from other countries may visit the market and the market association and traders should be consulted in upgrading its infrastructure. Lack of participative process is worrying,” he said.

In December 2022, NDMC also announced that the civic body, which manages Lutyens’ Delhi, will develop a park displaying national animals of the G20 countries on a waste-to-art theme. The replicas of the national animals have been recreated using scrap metal and installed on a temporary basis in a park near Kautilya marg.

An NDMC official, on condition of anonymity, said that 19 the animal replicas were set up by 25 artists from Lalit Kala Academy. The art pieces are replicas of national animals and birds of G20 nations and are expected to be installed at NDMC’s G20 Park proposed near Shanti Path-Ring Road junction.

These replicas include Bison (national mammal of USA), Jaguar (Brazil), Red crowned crane (China), Arabian Camel (Saudi Arabia), Magpie (South Korea), Rooster (France), Redwing (Turkey), Sparrow (Italy), Emu (Australia), Gray Jay (Canada), Brown Bear (Russia), Macaque Monkey (Japan), Rufous Hornero (Argentina), Golden Eagle (Mexico) and Peacock (India).

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Delhi has several such parks to mark important summit events. In January 2018, the council opened ‘Bharat-ASEAN Maitri Park’ near Tughlaq crescent to mark the ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit. It also developed an Indo-Africa Friendship Rose Garden in 2015 to mark the third India-Africa Summit and a BRICS Rose Garden in 2016 to mark the BRICS summit hosted by India.