G20 Summit: Special lounges at Delhi’s IGI airport for heads of States

Delhi airport officials said no guest will kept waiting after they reach Delhi airport, which is why separate lounges are being prepared.

Three ceremonial lounges are being prepared to receive the heads of State expected to arrive for the G20 Summit from September 9 to 10 at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, officials aware of the matter said on Wednesday.

Work underway for the Summit at IGI Airport. (Sanjeev Verma/HT Photo)

The officials said teams of officials accompanying the leaders will be able to complete the formalities at these lounges and exit the airport from the technical area without affecting the movement of regular passengers.

Currently, there is one ceremonial lounge inside the technical area where guests such as heads of State are received by Indian government officials after they land at the Delhi airport. However, in view of 41 heads of government and State and their official teams set to reach the national capital on September 7 and 8, three more ceremonial lounges have been prepared, the officials said.

Delhi airport officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity said, “No guest will kept waiting after they reach Delhi airport. This is why separate lounges are being prepared.”

A second official said while the technical area is highly secured round-the-clock, the route through which the entourages will exit and reach the hotels will be sanitised. “Escorts will be provided to guests by Delhi Police and paramilitary forces from the airport to hotels. There will be additional security on the route. Additional cameras are being placed along the route,” the second official said.

The official added that sniffer dogs from Delhi Police, CRPF and CISF will sanitise the entire stretch before movement of the VIPs from the airport. CISF has additional 12 dog squad teams for sanitising different areas, the official said.