G-20 summit 2023: How MCD is gearing up for the global event; 375 public places identified for beautification in Delhi

Ahead of the G-20 summit next year, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi is gearing up to beautify the National Capital. G-20, which comprises a group of 19 countries and the European Union, will hold the next summit in Delhi. G20 Summit 2022 will be held at Bali in Indonesia. 

Meanwhile, civic officials told news agency PTI that over 370 public places in Delhi have been identified for beautification in view of the G-20 summit next year. 

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi has earmarked 375 public places for planting exotic flowering species, including gazania and pansy, in all its 12 zones, it said in a statement. 

These places include 16 flyovers, 261 colony parks, 27 parks situated at markets, 62 parks situated on main roads and nine roundabouts. 

Main places where beautification will be carried out include Nehru Place flyover, Sarai Kale Khan flyover, Lajpat Nagar flyover, South Extension flyover, Kalkaji flyover, Seelampur flyover, Gokulpuri flyover, Rani Jhansi flyover, Shalimar Park, Priyadarshini Park, Teachers Park Nimdi colony, Vaishali Vatika, Piitampura, among other places, it said. 

"In pursuance to the directions of Delhi LG V K Saxena, the MCD has started work on optimal utilisation and beautification of urban green spaces by planting seasonal flowering plants to give an aesthetically pleasing environment at roundabouts, dividers, sidewalk of roads, land parcels below flyovers, vertical greens and recreational public spaces like parks etc in preparations of upcoming G-20 summit," it said. 

Flowering plants like gazania, verbana coreopsis, alyssum, dahlia, pansy, ice plant, among others will be planted, the MCD said. 

"The MCD has started preparing flower beds at these places where it will plant exotic flowering plants that will add to the beauty of the city and will have soothing effect on eyes and mind of the citizens," the statement said. 

India is expected to host over 200 G20 meetings during its year-long presidency of the influential grouping, which will culminate with an annual summit on September 9 and 10 next year. 

Earlier, India had reaffirmed its “active support” to Indonesia to finalise “meaningful outcomes” at the forthcoming G20 summit in Bali in November.   

India’s support to Indonesia was conveyed by New Delhi’s G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant during the third G20 sherpa meeting under Indonesia’s presidency of the powerful grouping. 

The G20 summit is taking place amid geo-political turmoil triggered by the crisis in Ukraine. 

“During the discussions on the prevailing geopolitical situation in the context of G20, Amitabh Kant highlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent statement on September 16, that ‘today’s era is not of war…diplomacy and dialogue are things that touch the world’,” the MEA said. 

The G20 or Group of 20 is an intergovernmental forum of the world’s major developed and developing economies. It comprises Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the UK, the US and the European Union (EU). 

Collectively, the G20 accounts for 85 per cent of global GDP, 75 per cent of international trade and two-thirds of the world population, making it the premier forum for international economic cooperation. 

With PTI inputs