New Delhi: Delhi Urban Development Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj on Thursday stressed that the city police should safeguard assets created and upgraded for the G20 Summit and ensure these are not stolen or damaged after the key meeting.
In a telephonic interview to PTI, the senior AAP leader said that for such events, proper planning has to be done so that people are not inconvenienced.
“It is good that such events are being held in Delhi. But there is a caveat. For the last 10 days, people are facing traffic jams. If you want the support of people for such events, it has to be ensured that they are not inconvenienced. There should be proper planning by Delhi Police and its traffic unit for it,” he said.
The minister said that Delhi was “choked” even before the summit, which is not a good precedent.
“Even internal roads connected to main roads were barricaded and there were no signages to inform people about them. People came on those roads, saw barricades and then had to take a U-turn, which led to jams. Better planning was needed and LG sir should have ensured it,” he said, in an apparent dig at Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena.
Bharadwaj also noted that nearly 90 per cent of the police personnel from police stations were deployed for security during the G20 Summit.
“I feel that CISF, ITBP should have been deployed for security purposes since other things that happen in police districts like vehicle thefts, fights between neighbours, street crimes will continue to happen causing inconvenience to people,” he said.
In the lead-up to the summit, various agencies have installed artefacts, plants, fountains and sculptures to add an aesthetic look to the national capital.
Bharadwaj said that Delhi Police has to ensure strict action against those who steal or tamper with the assets that have been created in Delhi for the summit.
“The PWD has made its policy for watch and ward for such assets. There are expensive lights that have been installed, sculptures made from metal and scrap. Although security guards have been deployed, the police have the job of enforcement and their safety. We need support from Delhi Police. LG sir has to ensure that police ensures their security,” he said.
The minister also recalled that after the Commonwealth Games, people were seen taking away plants.
“It has to be ensured that people do not vandalise or damage them. Police do not prosecute such people and there is no fear. If police arrest people and file cases, there will be some deterrent,” he noted.
In the run-up to the summit, there has been a controversy over allocation of funds for the beautification of Delhi.
Union minister Meenakashi Lekhi on Monday claimed that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government did nothing for Delhi’s development in its nine-year rule and it was the Centre that bore almost all the expenses for G20 Summit preparations in the city.
Responding to the charge, Bharadwaj claimed, “I think she is lying. In 2022, all departments were asked to provide estimates and it was estimated that over Rs 700 crore would be needed. I am putting it on record that the Centre did not provide any fund. I have a file in which the chief secretary himself wrote that all departments have to spend their own money.”
“Manish Sisodia (former deputy chief minister) had written to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for funds for the summit. There was no response from the Centre,” he claimed.
If the Centre has given money, it would be having proof, he said, adding that there would be correspondence proving it.
“It’s a pure lie. Delhi people are very happy to host the summit with their own money. We are hosting the summit with taxpayers’ money,” he asserted.
The senior leader also accused the Centre of “step-motherly” treatment and stressed that it was Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal who directed that the work should not be stopped.
“We sent one letter and never stopped work. Tourism, transport, PWD, health departments have spent their own money,” he said.
Recalling the Commonwealth Games, he said that at that time the Centre allocated funds, and with those funds, the city government created new infrastructure.
“We received step-motherly treatment from the Centre. They didn’t want their money to be used for creation of infrastructure in Delhi. Despite such a big event, they didn’t give money, which was sad and unfortunate. But it was CM’s directions that we will not write for funds again and will keep spending from our funds since this is a national event. No work was stopped or delayed because of it,” he added.
Talking about the preparations in case there is heavy rains, Bharadwaj, who also holds the portfolio of irrigation and flood control, said, “Floods were there for a few days in Delhi…. The Delhi floods were not due to rains in the capital. There were no rains for five days. The flooding happened because of unlimited water released from Haryana. Currently, that situation is not there. Even if it rains in Delhi for 24 hours or for three days continuously, there will be no flooding. We have the capacity and capability to handle water from rainfall.”
Bharadwaj, who also holds the health portfolio, stressed that they are fully prepared for any kind of medical emergency during the G20 Summit.
“There are doctors who will be deployed 24X7 at hotels. Advanced life support ambulances will accompany carcades. Ambulances have also been deployed at strategic locations. Senior residents will be present in these ambulances. The hospitals are also prepared for any kind of medical eventuality. There are designated rooms and ICUs,” he said.
Lt Governor Saxena, during an interview to PTI last week, had also pointed out that had the Delhi government worked through the last nine years, lesser efforts would have been required for the summit.
Responding to it, Bharadwaj said, “LG sir doesn’t know anything. For 15 years, the MCD, which does the work of cleaning, was under the BJP. In the last six months, under AAP, there has been an aggressive cleanliness campaign. He doesn’t know that the work of redeveloping of corridors had started when Satyendar Jain was PWD minister.”
“Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had visited the Chirag Dilli corridor thrice. He gave directions on increasing greenery, putting bamboos, also and these are on record. What LG said was immature and unfortunate,” he added.
The G20 Summit will be held from September 9 to 10 at the newly built international convention and exhibition centre — Bharat Mandapam — at Pragati Maidan. It will be attended by a host of world leaders including US President Joe Biden, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and French President Emmanuel Macron.
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