<p>The first day of the India AI Impact Summit and Expo at Bharat Mandapam in <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/india/delhi">New Delhi</a> on Monday witnessed chaos, drawing sharp criticism on social media over poor planning and organisation.</p><p>Attendees from India and abroad reported widespread issues, including patchy mobile network coverage, long queues at entry points, inadequate signage for directions and facilities, overcrowding in hallways, and limited access to basic amenities such as water and food. </p><p>Many participants, including exhibitors, delegates, startup founders and VIP speakers, found themselves stranded outside the venue or stuck in disorganised crowds, especially amid heightened security preparations ahead of Prime Minister <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/narendra-modi">Narendra Modi</a>’s inauguration scheduled for 5 pm.</p>.India's AI strides reflect both ambition, responsibility: PM Modi.<p>Complaints highlighted a lack of clear communication from on-ground staff and security personnel, sudden venue clearances, and inconsistent instructions, which left some feeling displaced despite travelling long distances. </p><p>Social media users vented frustration over the contrast between the media portrayal of celebrations and the on-ground reality of disarray.</p><p>One notable post on X came from Punit Jain, founder of Reskill, “...meanwhile - exhibitors, delegates, startup founders left outside. No water. No clarity. Media shows celebration. Ground reality was chaos. If access was limited to select high-value guests, just say it upfront. Don’t mobilise the ecosystem and then displace them. This is not how we build India’s AI future.”</p><p>Other attendees echoed similar sentiments, pointing to endless waiting times, cash-only food systems (with no UPI support in some cases), poor network reception inside the venue, and overall mismanagement despite the presence of Big Tech companies and global enterprises.</p>
<p>The first day of the India AI Impact Summit and Expo at Bharat Mandapam in <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/india/delhi">New Delhi</a> on Monday witnessed chaos, drawing sharp criticism on social media over poor planning and organisation.</p><p>Attendees from India and abroad reported widespread issues, including patchy mobile network coverage, long queues at entry points, inadequate signage for directions and facilities, overcrowding in hallways, and limited access to basic amenities such as water and food. </p><p>Many participants, including exhibitors, delegates, startup founders and VIP speakers, found themselves stranded outside the venue or stuck in disorganised crowds, especially amid heightened security preparations ahead of Prime Minister <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/narendra-modi">Narendra Modi</a>’s inauguration scheduled for 5 pm.</p>.India's AI strides reflect both ambition, responsibility: PM Modi.<p>Complaints highlighted a lack of clear communication from on-ground staff and security personnel, sudden venue clearances, and inconsistent instructions, which left some feeling displaced despite travelling long distances. </p><p>Social media users vented frustration over the contrast between the media portrayal of celebrations and the on-ground reality of disarray.</p><p>One notable post on X came from Punit Jain, founder of Reskill, “...meanwhile - exhibitors, delegates, startup founders left outside. No water. No clarity. Media shows celebration. Ground reality was chaos. If access was limited to select high-value guests, just say it upfront. Don’t mobilise the ecosystem and then displace them. This is not how we build India’s AI future.”</p><p>Other attendees echoed similar sentiments, pointing to endless waiting times, cash-only food systems (with no UPI support in some cases), poor network reception inside the venue, and overall mismanagement despite the presence of Big Tech companies and global enterprises.</p>