NEW DELHI: As the G20 summit kicks off in New Delhi this weekend, Indian government is pulling out all the stops to ensure security.
The summit will be organized at the Bharat Mandapam convention center at Pragati Maidan in central Delhi.
With guests including US President Joe Biden, Chinese Premier Li Qiang, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and other world leaders, authorities are not taking any chances.
At least 130,000 security personnel will be deployed during the summit, including an eighty-thousand-strong contingent from the Delhi police, DW reported on Friday.
The G20 summit venue and hotels where the global leaders stay will be cordoned off.
Indo-Tibetan Border Police’s trained commandos armed with long-range weapons will also be deployed in vantage points.
Schools, banks, business establishments to remain shut in New Delhi
Schools, business establishments, banks, and all government departments will remain shut as enhanced security steps come into place. Even food and e-commerce delivery companies will not be permitted to operate in areas adjoining the venue of the summit.
More than thousand flights will encounter disruptions through adjustments or cancellations during this period as authorities intend to keep terminals and airspace free of congestion.
About 300 Delhi-bound trains are also expected to be affected, with passengers asked to deboard ahead of their destinations.
A slew of restrictive curbs will start in from midnight Friday to ensure a smooth flow of traffic in the capital city New Delhi during the event that formally kicks off on Saturday.
Road closures and diversions have already resulted in longer travel times than usual for average nationals.
Security agencies are preparing for all alternative plans as protests have been seen during previous G20 gatherings in London, Hamburg, and Toronto.
It is for this reason that surveillance and checking have been beefed up at security installations, major streets, and government buildings during the summit.
