New Delhi:

To avert any waterlogging or flooding situation during the G20 Summit, the Delhi Fire Service (DFS) will deploy four heavy-duty Mobile Dewatering Trucks, Raj Niwas officials said on Monday.

The equipment, specially borrowed from Ahmedabad, have been deployed at ITPO and Raj Ghat to avert any waterlogging or flooding-related eventuality if it rains in the national capital during the G20 Summit, they said.

The G20 Leaders’ Summit is scheduled to be held from September 9-10 at a newly built international convention and exhibition centre — Bharat Mandapam — at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi.

Vehicles equipped with high-capacity suction pumps have been brought in by DFS to deal with any contingency like the one recently, where the area in and around the Raj Ghat and ITPO were submerged after heavy rains, the officials said.

Delhi Lt Governor V K Saxena, during his review meetings in the run-up to the summit, had repeatedly stressed putting in place a comprehensive and foolproof contingency plan in and around the G20 venues to deal with waterlogging or flooding situations in the city, in case it rains heavily during the event.

On Sunday, the LG accompanied the Principal Secretary to the PM P K Mishra and inspected these vehicles stationed at ITPO.

Two such vehicles each have been deployed at Raj Ghat and ITPO and can be moved anywhere as per the requirement, the officials said.

Each of these vehicles is capable of high-speed water suction at the rate of 10,000 litres per minute from a radius of 15 metres, they said, adding that once completely loaded with fuel, these vehicles can operate for 24 hours continuously.

These diesel-run vehicles are equipped with BS-VI engines of 60 BHP capacity at 1500 RPM and are minimally polluting, both in terms of emission and noise pollution and being run at a noise level of 85 dBA at 7m, they added.

Eventually, DFS will be procuring such vehicles on a permanent basis.

In an interview with PTI on Saturday, Mr Saxena said a multi-agency contingency plan will be activated if there is a heavy downpour during the summit.

Sixty heavy-duty mobile pumping sets will be deployed around the Pragati Maidan, the venue for the event, he said.

Areas prone to waterlogging have been taken care of with the construction of drains and underground storage tanks, he said.

“All arrangements are in place and we are prepared to handle any situation,” he said.

“Agencies like the NDRF (National Disaster Response Force), PWD (Public Works Department) and Flood and Irrigation Department have been put on alert to handle any situation. Every detail has been minutely planned and arrangements made,” Mr Saxena said. 

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

New Delhi:

About 130,000 security officers will be deployed as India hosts the world’s most powerful leaders at a G20 summit in New Delhi this month, a showcase for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the country’s growing presence on the world stage.

The two-day summit, starting September 9, will have the most high-profile guest list India has ever welcomed, from U.S. President Joe Biden to British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Saudi Arabia’s Mohammed Bin Salman. 

Leaders from Japan, Australia, France and Germany are also among those expected to attend, although Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is facing criticism from the West for the war in Ukraine, has said he will be represented by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

The heads of the United Nations, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, World Trade Organisation and World Health Organisation will also be present.

The event will take place in the sprawling, refurbished Pragati Maidan, a convention-cum-exhibition centre in the middle of one of the most populous cities in the world.

“This is a historic and momentous moment,” said Dependra Pathak, a special commissioner of the Delhi Police who is in charge of security arrangements in the city. Thousands of personnel from other government security services including the home guards and the para-military Border Security Force will be brought in to maintain law and order, he said.

“To contain protests and gatherings, we will have adequate and robust police presence.”

While Pathak is in charge of security in the city, the main venue will be guarded by a team under another Delhi Police special commissioner, Ranvir Singh Krishnia.

Although the capital is relatively peaceful, as recently as last month, communal tensions flared up in the neighbouring industrial township of Gurugram in which at least seven people were killed.

During the weekend summit, New Delhi’s borders will be closely guarded and access to the city will be regulated, officials said.

Within the city of 20 million, the government is planning a partial shutdown during the summit with schools, government departments and businesses being asked to remain closed for three days.

DEFENCE IN THE SKIES

The city will be guarded by nearly 130,000 security personnel, including the 80,000-strong Delhi Police, officials said.

A spokesperson for the Indian Air Force told Reuters that it will “deploy comprehensive measures for integrated aerospace defence in the Delhi and close-by areas.”

The spokesperson said that the Indian military, including the air force, along with the Delhi Police and paramilitary forces, will deploy anti-drone systems to prevent any aerial threats. About 400 firefighters will also be on call.

Security control rooms are being set up at the venue and special security arrangements have been made at key hotels like the ITC Maurya Hotel, where Biden will stay.

Prime Minister Modi has converted India’s year-long presidency of the G20 into a national event, with different meetings of the group being hosted in key parts of the country, including far-flung Arunachal Pradesh state and Srinagar city in Kashmir.

Throughout the year, roads, airports, bus stops, parks, railway stations, government offices and government media have been plastered with G20 advertisements.

In New Delhi, new fountains and ornamental plants adorn key traffic roundabouts while life-size cutouts of langurs – a large monkey with black face – have been put up in several areas to fight the city’s monkey menace.

Prime Minister Modi inaugurated a $300 million venue in the capital in July to host the summit meeting – a conch shell-shaped building that can seat more than 3,000.

The government has also leased 20 bullet-proof limousines at a cost of 180 million Indian rupees ($2.18 million) for ferrying leaders.

Many world leaders travel with their own bodyguards and vehicles. India has requested countries to be “rational” about the number of cars and personnel that they bring, but has not put any restrictions, one government official said.

The official said the U.S. is bringing in over 20 aircraft over a week-long period around the summit.

New Delhi:

About 130,000 security officers will be deployed as India hosts the world’s most powerful leaders at a G20 summit in New Delhi this month, a showcase for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the country’s growing presence on the world stage.

The two-day summit, starting September 9, will have the most high-profile guest list India has ever welcomed, from U.S. President Joe Biden to British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Saudi Arabia’s Mohammed Bin Salman. 

Leaders from Japan, Australia, France and Germany are also among those expected to attend, although Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is facing criticism from the West for the war in Ukraine, has said he will be represented by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

The heads of the United Nations, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, World Trade Organisation and World Health Organisation will also be present.

The event will take place in the sprawling, refurbished Pragati Maidan, a convention-cum-exhibition centre in the middle of one of the most populous cities in the world.

“This is a historic and momentous moment,” said Dependra Pathak, a special commissioner of the Delhi Police who is in charge of security arrangements in the city. Thousands of personnel from other government security services including the home guards and the para-military Border Security Force will be brought in to maintain law and order, he said.

“To contain protests and gatherings, we will have adequate and robust police presence.”

While Pathak is in charge of security in the city, the main venue will be guarded by a team under another Delhi Police special commissioner, Ranvir Singh Krishnia.

Although the capital is relatively peaceful, as recently as last month, communal tensions flared up in the neighbouring industrial township of Gurugram in which at least seven people were killed.

During the weekend summit, New Delhi’s borders will be closely guarded and access to the city will be regulated, officials said.

Within the city of 20 million, the government is planning a partial shutdown during the summit with schools, government departments and businesses being asked to remain closed for three days.

DEFENCE IN THE SKIES

The city will be guarded by nearly 130,000 security personnel, including the 80,000-strong Delhi Police, officials said.

A spokesperson for the Indian Air Force told Reuters that it will “deploy comprehensive measures for integrated aerospace defence in the Delhi and close-by areas.”

The spokesperson said that the Indian military, including the air force, along with the Delhi Police and paramilitary forces, will deploy anti-drone systems to prevent any aerial threats. About 400 firefighters will also be on call.

Security control rooms are being set up at the venue and special security arrangements have been made at key hotels like the ITC Maurya Hotel, where Biden will stay.

Prime Minister Modi has converted India’s year-long presidency of the G20 into a national event, with different meetings of the group being hosted in key parts of the country, including far-flung Arunachal Pradesh state and Srinagar city in Kashmir.

Throughout the year, roads, airports, bus stops, parks, railway stations, government offices and government media have been plastered with G20 advertisements.

In New Delhi, new fountains and ornamental plants adorn key traffic roundabouts while life-size cutouts of langurs – a large monkey with black face – have been put up in several areas to fight the city’s monkey menace.

Prime Minister Modi inaugurated a $300 million venue in the capital in July to host the summit meeting – a conch shell-shaped building that can seat more than 3,000.

The government has also leased 20 bullet-proof limousines at a cost of 180 million Indian rupees ($2.18 million) for ferrying leaders.

Many world leaders travel with their own bodyguards and vehicles. India has requested countries to be “rational” about the number of cars and personnel that they bring, but has not put any restrictions, one government official said.

The official said the U.S. is bringing in over 20 aircraft over a week-long period around the summit.