G20 Summit: PM Narendra Modi visits international media centre

While the main summit was held in Bharat Mandapam in the erstwhile Pragati Maidan complex, the International Media Centre (IMC) was set up in its proximity at hall number 4 and 5

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the International Media Centre on Sunday evening at the G20 Summit venue after the two-day event concluded.

PM Modi had visited the place to meet Indian and foreign journalists. (PTI Photo)

PM Modi had visited the place to meet Indian and foreign journalists.

While the main summit was held in Bharat Mandapam in the erstwhile Pragati Maidan complex, the International Media Centre (IMC) was set up in its proximity at hall number 4 and 5, an official said on the condition of anonymity.

The complex is owned by the International trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO), which is under the administrative control of the commerce and industry ministry.

“This is the first time that a Media Centre is located so close to the main summit venue,” the official said.

Information and Broadcasting secretary Apurva Chandra said that earlier the Hall number 1 was proposed as the venue for the media centre. It was closer to Bharat Mandapam.

“But, the present venue was finally chosen as we wanted a bigger space to accommodate about 3,000 media persons,” he said adding that the media centre with two floors was more spacious and comfortable for journalists.

“Based on the feedback, it was clear that the facilities were found useful by media professionals, which is reflected in the wide coverage of the event. We appreciate the involvement and coverage given by the media on this occasion,” Chandra said.

According to the first official, the event saw over 3,000 registrations from both domestic and foreign media, including print, electronic, digital and freelance journalists.

The facility was equipped with over 1,300 work stations with internet connectivity and printer, high speed WiFi, and International Broadcasting Centre (IBC) for clean feed from Bharat Mandapam, recorded by national broadcaster Prasar Bharati.

Manish Desai, principal director general of the press information bureau (PIB) said more than 2,000 journalists were working at a time including over 600 foreign journalists at the media centre. PIB teams were deployed in three shifts throughout the summit period.