Over Rs 1,000 crore to be spent by Delhi govt on preparations for G20 summit, related events

It is estimated that more than Rs 1,000 crore will be spent by various Delhi government agencies on the preparations for the G20 summit and related events to be held in the city in the coming months, officials said.

Apart from upgrading the civic infrastructure, the beautification work and other preparations by various departments of the city government and the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) will cost Rs 1,084 crore, they said on Monday.

Delhi will host the main summit meeting of the G20 (Group of 20) countries and seven other related events, starting in March.

Earlier this month, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had written a letter to the Centre, seeking a grant of Rs 927 crore to take up special development projects for the G20 summit.

According to the officials, 26 Delhi government departments and central agencies are working on the preparations for the summit.

The public works department (PWD), Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and the NDMC will mainly be associated with civic infrastructure improvement and beautification work. It is estimated that the PWD, the MCD and the NDMC will spend Rs 448 crore, Rs 249 crore and Rs 78 crore respectively on it, a senior government official said.

Repairing roads and pavements, beautification of medians, pavements and traffic islands on major road stretches, illumination work, horticulture, installation of LED lights, and electric buses for the visitors and foreign delegates have been planned for the summit.

The tourism department of the city government has planned various events and programmes and estimated a budget of Rs 72 crore for the same, the officials said.