Delhi govt’s Department of Education has advised schools to observe 8 September as a holiday for students and staff.
New Delhi
Authorities in Delhi, that is hosting the G20 summit, may ask citizens to restrict their movement around the mega event so as to keep the roads less congested for the visiting dignitaries, officials in government agencies indicated, adding that a suggestion to declare 8 September a public holiday is also under consideration.
The Delhi government’s Department of Education has already advised schools to observe 8 September as a holiday for students and staff. The main summit and official dinner, along with a cultural programme, are scheduled for 9 September at Pragati Maidan; however, G20 summit guests are expected to start arriving much earlier. Officials indicated that spouses of the leaders may be taken on guided tours across the city, with the initial plan being to take them to Pusa Road and the National Gallery for Modern Art.
To ensure smooth traffic movement during the summit, authorities are planning to close some roads and restrict the movement of the general public in central Delhi areas under the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) on 8, 9, and 10 September, according to sources.
Offices may remain closed, and protests will not be allowed at Jantar Mantar during the first week of September. Areas like Dilli Haat, Chandni Chowk, Khan Market, Connaught Place, and Malcha Marg Market will likely have high security. However, no official advisory has been issued yet.
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has planned a special drive starting 16 August to spruce up 26 prominent roads in the city. According to the MCD statement, roads like Mathura Road, Bhairon Marg, Sachivalaya Road, Purana Quila Road, Lodhi Road, Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Marg, Suraj Kund Road, and Mahatma Gandhi Road are among the 26 roads that will get special attention.
HOTELS
For the visiting guests, a total of 35 hotels have been booked by different missions and MEA, sources said. Taj Palace, Maurya Sheraton, Le Meridien, Shangri-La, Imperial, Oberoi, and Leela are the key five-star hotels that will probably host the top dignitaries.
According to sources, hotels have made special efforts to beautify their surrounding areas with the prominent display of the G20 logo and are also busy strengthening their kitchens for the Summit’s guests. Sources also said that the hotels are revamping their food offerings along with their decor and service standards. A report stated that many hospitality chains have also made some special hires to cater to the expected rush.
AIRPORT
Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport has not issued any official advisories so far. However, G20 delegates are expected to start arriving in the capital much before 8 September and depart on 10 and 11 September. Other travellers may face some inconveniences, like slow traffic and higher security at airport terminals, during this time. Domestic airline Go First will be operating charter flights for the summit. The main G20 Summit is slated to be held 9-10 September at the recently inaugurated state-of-the-art International Exhibition and Convention Centre Bharat Mandapam (IECC) at Pragati Maidan in Delhi. The 123-acre complex includes exposition halls, meeting rooms, and conference facilities, one of which can accommodate 7,000 people, while the other has a 3,000-person amphitheatre. The 18th G20 Heads of State and Government Summit in Delhi will be a culmination of all the G20 processes and meetings held throughout the year among ministers, senior officials, and civil society. Apart from the leaders, there will also be heads of multilateral institutions such as the UN, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, and WTO who will attend the summit, where issues ranging from economics to geopolitics will take centre stage. According to the G20 website, a G20 Leaders’ Declaration will be adopted after the New Delhi Summit, stating leaders’ commitment towards the priorities discussed and agreed upon during the respective ministerial and working group meetings.