‘Civic agencies are trying to protect public decoration items from vandals after the mega event’.
NEW DELHI
As tractor trolleys make multiple trips to shift flower pots, placed on pavements as part of a beautification drive ahead of the G20 Summit, to schools and other institutions and security guards take position near fountains and murals, the capital’s civic agencies are trying not to lose even a moment in protecting public decoration items from vandals after the mega event.
Immediately after the summit, the focus has shifted to keeping the city beautiful and protecting the street furniture and potted plants, said a civic official. Satish Upadhyay, Vice Chairperson of NDMC, told The Sunday Guardian, “NDMC has decided to continue its effort to preserve the beautification and greenery work that was carried out by NDMC during the G20 Summit. We will ensure the upkeep of all fountains, sculptures, lights, etc. as they were during the G20 Summit.”
Upadhyay said the NDMC had placed 100,000 potted plants under the G20 beautification drive. “Out of these, we will relocate some of the potted plants from certain locations to other places like schools, hospitals, institutions, and offices, while the ones located in prominent locations will remain there. We have also kept three separate guards to take care of it. If needed, we would also hire an agency to look after it, but currently, all the work is done under NDMC.”
The vice chairperson stated that NDMC had installed more than 50 fountains in its area with artistic and aesthetic views to provide an eco-friendly experience to visitors and tourists in the New Delhi area. “We made a plan to run all our fountains in two shifts every day. First in the morning, from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., and the second in the evening, from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. And its maintenance will be carried out from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.”
Except for this, NDMC’s electricity department will take care of maintaining the poles and the light fittings to ensure the areas continue to be as illuminated as they were during the summit. The department will also be responsible for the maintenance of signage with back-lit panels installed in the NDMC area.
He said: “We aim to provide the best facility for citizens to experience illuminated roads and fountains in the lush green parks, roundabouts, T-points, and other public places regularly in Lutyens’ Delhi. NDMC appeals to all citizens to cooperate with civic bodies to keep it clean and maintain the fountains’ beauty and greenery for a better experience.”
The MCD, too, is preparing to maintain G20-level beauty throughout the year. Mayor Shelly Oberoi said: “The beautiful picture of Delhi should not be limited to the G20, but the city should remain clean like this for 365 days. The responsibility of keeping Delhi clean will be on MCD, but we also expect the public to make an important contribution to keeping Delhi clean.” She further said that when the Commonwealth took place in Delhi, it was decorated similarly, but after some time, the situation became the same as before. “Now it is our responsibility and that of the people to maintain the beauty of Delhi.” On the other hand, PWD Minister Atishi and Urban Development Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said the Delhi government is going to beautify 1,400 km of roads on the lines of those revamped for the summit. Atishi said that a total of 109 sculptures and 49 statues have been installed across all PWD roads redeveloped for the summit. She further said: “PWD will ensure to keep all the beautification work intact after the G20, and we will beautify the whole of Delhi.” Apart from this, the PWD will also hire an agency to maintain all key routes and hire security guards with guns to guard equipment. Presently, the department has about 11 such guards to man murals and artwork inside the Pragati Maidan tunnel.
Similar to NDMC, the PWD has also decided to operate all fountains in their areas. They have also set a time to operate all the fountains. They will now run them in two shifts, between 7 a.m. and 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. and 11 p.m.