NEW DELHI: In honor of the G20 leaders’ summit taking place in New Delhi this weekend, the Indian government has spent millions of dollars on beautifying the capital with thousands of trees, plants, sculptures and colorful decorations.
Work on this grand makeover has been underway for many months, with light displays, bright murals and ornate flowers popping up across the city to welcome the many heads of state and government arriving from around the world.
Roads have been renovated, pavements decorated, and large billboards featuring the face and words of India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi have been strategically placed.
Illuminated G20 logos have been installed, as have several new fountains and sculptures, each with a unique design reflecting Indian national culture. Heritage buildings in the heart of the city, meanwhile, have had their facades renovated.
“(The cost) is around 60 crore rupees ($7.2 million), and that was not only for G20, as we have already started enhancing many things,” Satish Upadhyay, vice chairman of New Delhi Municipal Council, told Arab News.
“We have been preparing for this for the last year. We have planted more than 5 million saplings; 100,000 potted plants along different roads. Then we have planted 3,000 big, special trees; more than 20 sculptures have been installed; fountains have been put at more than 11 locations; and some bodies of water were created too.”
People crowd on the backdrop of decorations around Jama Masjid Mosque in New Delhi on September 7, 2023, ahead of the G20 summit. (AFP)
Tankers and four treatment plants are working round the clock to produce sufficient water to make sure the new green sites are properly irrigated, he said.
“We have set up a control system 24/7. We have deployed more than 3,000 employees,” he added.
All the ornaments and arrangements are designed to reference traditional Indian aesthetics. The artists behind these works came from across the country and, according to Upadhyay, these new decorative features are here to stay as a G20 legacy.
“After the summit, everything will be intact except for some potted plants,” he said.
A G20 emblem is placed on the crown of a building illuminated with the tri colors of the Indian national flag ahead of the leaders summit in New Delhi on September 7, 2023. (AFP)
Vishakha Gupta, a student who lives in the Indian capital and who traveled to the G20 venue in Pragati Maidan to take photographs, was pleased to see the investment in expanding New Delhi’s green spaces.
“I especially like the plants, because they are more beautiful than anything else. They are the cherry on the cake,” she told Arab News.
“I think Delhi has become more beautiful. It’s good that the world can see India from a different perspective. India is not only about slums and dirty areas.”
A man walks past an illuminated hoarding of the G20 India summit logo along a roadside in New Delhi on September 6, 2023, ahead of its commencement. (AFP)
Anushi Gupta, also a student, was impressed by the new illuminations and the lotus-shaped logo of India’s G20 presidency.
“My favorite piece of decor is this multicolored area where it is written ‘Welcome G20 India.’ It looks really amazing. The lighting is also amazing,” she told Arab News. “Delhi has changed a lot. You can see the beautification of this place. The credit goes to the prime minister.”
Another Delhiite, Ranjan Kumar Jha, said he was pleased to see how environmentally friendly the new installations are. “What I like is the combination of nature and technology. Proper care has been taken so that nature is not harmed,” he told Arab News.
“For the G20 summit, Delhi has been decorated like a bride and we are all ready to welcome the whole world. This is a moment of pride for us Indians. I like the change. I am a citizen of Delhi. I feel proud that Delhi is hosting this.”
