NDMC working hard to make Delhi G20-ready

At least 34 roads where major movements of foreign dignitaries are expected during the summit may get a facelift.

New Delhi

Preparations by the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) are in full swing for the upcoming G-20 event scheduled to be held here next month. The NDMC has stepped up its efforts from beautification to water facilities, making the national capital greener, and they are also improving infrastructure.

The NDMC has formed eight special teams to inspect the condition of roads, market areas, and important venues and hotels and take stock of other G20-related works on priority. An office order has been issued in this regard. At least 34 roads where major movements of foreign dignitaries are expected during the summit are likely to get a facelift.

This action comes after Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena formed 11 monitoring committees to oversee projects related to the G20 summit in each of the city’s 11 districts, including NDMC, and directed all civic agencies to complete the pending work in a time-bound manner.

The NDMC has appointed nodal officers for key roads, markets, and hotel venues. They will ensure compliance with all the directions related to the tasks on a day-to-day basis. Officials told The Sunday Guardian that they had almost completed their preparations for the G20 summit. They will also complete the beautification work in the second week of August.

Officials said that they have completed all civil work related to the G20 Summit. The NDMC has accomplished the installation of multi-coloured LED lights, floodlights, underground power cables, and national flagpoles along the Safdarjung flyover. At the Ranjeet Singh flyover, repair of the upper layer will be done soon, and detailed resurfacing work will be carried out after monsoon. Repair and restoration of the footpath and toe wall and doing thermoplastic paint on 41 roads, including painting of the façade at the outer and inner circles in CP, will also be done. The NDMC has also accomplished the installation of sculptures (marble lion, polo horse, Buddha, etc.) at important points and intersections, including Panchsheel Marg, Kamal Ataturk Marg, Kautilya Marg, Rajaji Marg, Teen Murti Marg, and Vinay Marg. They have also installed fountains at 13 prominent locations, namely Sher Shah Road, Zakir Hussain Marg, Pandara Road, Akbar Road, Connaught Place, K.G. Marg, Janpath, Sansad Marg, Teen Murti Marg, Rajaji Marg, Hyderabad House, Copernicus Marg, and Purana Qila Road, and all of them will become operational in a week’s time.
They are developing a green strip along 32 major roads.

Officials said that they are also procuring and preparing 80,000 potted plants for display. They have also installed heavy-duty fixed and portable pumps at six vulnerable points to tackle waterlogging issues in the area, including Africa Avenue, Panchkuian Road near Connaught Place, Baba Khadak Singh Marg near DLF parking, Purana Quila, Tilak Lane, and Lodhi Estate.

The civic body has also allotted a tender for installing solar studs, and the work will be completed in the next few days. An official said: “It took some time to do the tender work, but we will install the studs soon. Regarding the repair and maintenance of Connaught Place, the site was recently visited by the LG, and work is complete here.”

NDMC vice-chairman Satish Upadhyay said, “The planting of 3,000 tree saplings and 28 lakh shrubs on central verges and by roadsides is done, and another 15 lakh shrubs have been prepared for planting by 15 August. An impressive goal of 2,000 trees and 43 lakh saplings was set by us. But we achieved more than the target and planted 3,000 saplings. As far as shrubs are concerned, 28 lakh saplings have already been planted. This reaffirms the NDMC’s commitment to a greener and healthier environment.”