New Delhi:

Since the conclusion of the G20 Summit, nozzles worth more than Rs 10 lakh have been stolen from fountains newly installed outside Bharat Mandapam and at the Delhi Gate, officials said on Tuesday. The matter came to light when the agency tasked with their maintenance filed a police complaint.

According to officials of the Public Works Department, the stainless steel nozzles are priced at Rs 4,000 each.

A number of fountains were installed across the central Delhi area in the run-up to the G20 Summit.

“Twenty-four nozzles have been stolen from fountains outside the Bharat Mandapam while 12 nozzles from the fountain at Delhi Gate. The theft happened after the culmination of the G20 Summit,” a PWD official said.

Asked whether the CCTV cameras installed in the areas captured any suspicious movement, he said that the cameras installed by the agency cover only Gates 6 and 7 of Bharat Mandapam.

“There are also cameras installed by the Delhi Police but we do not know whether they are functional. The nozzles are expensive and we are trying to find alternatives to them,” the person said.

He said while the PWD replaced the stolen nozzles with plastic ones at Delhi Gate, the ones outside Bharat Mandapam can only be fitted with stainless steel ones since they are large fountains.

Even earlier, the department had filed police complaints about thefts of wires, nozzles, and other fixtures.

The department has deployed security guards around important places to ensure the security of the assets created during the summit.

“However, it is not possible … to ensure that they are not stolen since they are only a handful in number. Also, it is not possible for the department to deploy security guards everywhere,” said the PWD official.

Last month, Delhi PWD minister Atishi had said an agency will be hired for the safekeeping of these assets. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

Thousands of workers have worked for over a year behind the scenes to make the concluded G20 meet a huge success. A few of them, who worked on Bharat Mandapam — the ground zero of the Summit, told NDTV it was a great experience and they were extremely happy and proud that the meet was a huge success.  

“It was a great experience and many of our friends have worked on this project… We are happy that G20 was held in our country for the first time. We even had a chance to see and meet the great people who came from abroad for this event,” Vishal Pande told NDTV.

Mr Pande and his friends have been doing “the “finishing” job on the refurbished pavilions of Pragati Maidan, for which they had taken a tender. It has provided jobs to many, he said.  

“We are very happy that it all went smoothly,” said Mr Pande, who has been working at the site for four years, long before G20 was announced.  

Raj Mishra, who worked as part of a cleaning team of 40, said they were working 12-hour shifts in the run-up to the summit. But now that the meet is over, their work load has not reduced.

Asked how he felt about the meet, he said, “What can I say? It felt great”.

A mammoth repair and beautification drive was undertaken in Delhi for the G20 Sumit that included building of 10 roads,  installation of 31 statues and 90 fountains on roads, grooming of 1.65 lakh plants and the installation of decorative lighting.

At Bharat Mandapam,  various exhibitions were set up for the guests that showcased the country’s technological advancement and innovation.

A “Culture Corridor” was also set up to celebrate the shared heritage of G20 members and invitee countries.

New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the International Media Centre (IMC) at the Bharat Mandapam – the venue of the G20 Summit – this evening.

After holding a series of bilateral meetings with world leaders after the conclusion of the mega summit, PM Modi came to the media centre and greeted and waved at journalists, both from India and abroad, as camerapersons vied to click him.

Amid cheers, the Prime Minister walked into the cavernous hall on the ground floor of the International Media Centre which was all decked up.

G20 logos were splashed across huge decorative panels in the hall on the theme ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ – ‘One Earth. One Family. One Future’.

New Delhi:

Leaders from around the world will be heading to New Delhi for the G20 Summit on September 9-10. Grand arrangements have been made to host the heads of States and their delegations in the national capital. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be welcoming the leaders of all countries individually at the newly-inaugurated Bharat Mandapam at Pragati Maidan where he will also host a lunch on Saturday followed by a gala dinner hosted by the President.

The mega meet will mark the culmination of the India’s year-long G20 presidency where nations will share their commitments towards solving issues affecting the nations. The Group of Twenty also known as the G20 include Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, United Kingdom, and the United States and the European Union.

Here are the Live Updates on G20 Summit in Delhi:

The 18th G20 Summit will be held at the newly built Bharat Mandapam at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi next week. Authorities in the national capital have been making extensive arrangements to welcome delegates from across the world that will include over 25 heads of state and global institution leaders.

The mega event, scheduled to be held on September 9 and 10, marks the culmination of a number of G20 “processes and meetings” held throughout the year among ministers, senior officials, and civil societies. India took over the presidency of G20 from Indonesia in December last year. Next, Brazil will assume the G20 presidency. 

Venue

The G20 Summit will be organised at Bharat Mandapam, the International Exhibition-cum-Convention Centre (IECC) complex at New Delhi’s Pragati Maidan. It was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in July this year. PM Modi had also unveiled the G20 coin and G20 stamp at the opening of the centre.

Bharat Mandapam has been built at a cost of around Rs 2,700 crore. It has a campus area of about 123 acres and will serve as the country’s largest MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) destination. It features state-of-the-art facilities such as exhibition halls, convention centre, amphitheatre, interpreter room that supports 16 different languages, huge video walls, light management system with dimming and occupancy sensors, integrated surveillance system, and Data Communication Network (DCN).

Who is attending the summit?

US President Joe Biden, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, and French President Emmanuel Macron, among others, have confirmed their participation in the 18th G20 Summit.

Russian President Vladimir Putin will be skipping the event and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will represent the country. India has reportedly not yet received confirmation from China on the participation of President Xi Jinping. Reports suggested that Premier Li Qiang might arrive for the Summit instead.

The G20 invitees also include Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, Oman’s Head of State Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, Netherlands Prime Minister Mark Rutte, and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, among other heads of state.

India has also invited international organisations such as the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Health Organization (WHO) along with chairs of regional organisations, and guest international organisations.

Arrangements for the event

In view of the G20 Summit, offices, malls, restaurants, and markets will be closed in New Delhi from September 8. The Supreme Court, which is near the event venue, will also remain closed. People living in the New Delhi district will be allowed entry and exit but those from outside the district will need special passes. Metro and bus services will remain operational during the summit but with restrictions. Medical emergency vehicles would not be stopped and the traffic police will set up a dedicated ambulance assistance control room.