Delhi is ready for hosting the G20 summit, the Delhi government said on Wednesday, and congratulated all agencies for the elaborate work done to beautify the city and revamp its infrastructure for the global event.
Senior cabinet ministers Atishi and Saurabh Bharadwaj shared details of the projects taken up ahead of the Summit to be held between September 9 and 10.
“I want to congratulate all the agencies who have done elaborate work across the city to make the national Capital ready the G20 summit. Delhi is now ready to host the international delegates who are expected to arrive for the event,” Atishi, who holds finance and PWD portfolios, said at a press conference on Wednesday.
“I would like congratulate the central government for a fabulous Pragati Maidan complex that has been constructed over the past few years. Around this complex, an integrated transport corridor has been created which will not just ease traffic but will also allow delegates to reach the venue at the ITPO complex directly from their hotels. It is an engineering marvel as the tunnel was made simultaneously with the entire ITPO complex without causing any disruption. The corridor is funded by the Centre but has been beautifully executed by engineers of Delhi Public Works department,” said Atishi.
She said G20 preparations have been in progress for several years, with multiple agencies and governments working together to give Delhi a makeover ahead of the summit.
In addition to that, the Delhi government has undertaken the redevelopment and beautification of several major roads, and have redesigned them to meet European road standards, she said.
“They include the stretch of Ring Road from the airport to central Delhi, Aurobindo Marg, Vikas Marg, Lodhi Road, and Rajghat, which will not only extend a warm welcome to G20 guests but also remain as enduring infrastructure landmarks in Delhi,” she said.
She said extensive beautification work has been carried out the Delhi government, including the installation of 31 statues, 90 fountains and 165,000 plants on PWD roads.
Urban development minister Saurabh Bharadwaj, who was also present in the press conference, said the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has also undertaken much work, especially with the rejuvenation of market areas.
The MCD has revamped markets including South Extension markets in 1 and 2, Lajpat Nagar market, PVR Anupam Cinema market in Saket, RK Puram, and Char Minar Park in Mahipalpur area, Bharadwaj said.
“Additionally, a G20 park has been established in GK-2 market, and sculptures made from 250 metric tonnes of waste have been showcased around ITPO. The Shaheed Park, dedicated to martyrs on Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg near Delhi Gate, has also been redeveloped by the MCD,” Bharadwaj said.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), however, slammed the AAP government, claiming that most of the work across Delhi was implemented by central agencies and were funded by the Centre.
“The Delhi government ministers are repeatedly lying and making false claims.Major beautification projects were implemented in in NDMC area and all of them are funded by the Centre. The waste to wonder parks including Shaheedi Park, Rajghat, Asita 2 riverside bed, Dhaula Kuan to Airport road — all have been developed with central funds,” Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said.
