The Delhi Government has approved a proposal to declare a holiday from September 8 to 10 due to the G-20 summit in the national Capital. The order to this effect is expected to be issued soon.

Top sources said a proposal from the General Administrative Department has been approved by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. During the G20 summit, offices and schools of the Delhi Government, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) will be closed.

Earlier, in view of planned security and traffic arrangements for the G20 summit, the Delhi Police has suggested declaring a public holiday and closing of commercial establishments located mostly in the New Delhi area.

In an August 18 letter to Delhi Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar, Special Police Commissioner Madhup Tiwari mentioned there will be arrangements of huge scale during G20 summit.

And he said during which a comprehensive security-cum-movement plan has been prepared.

This comes as a move to alleviate any potential traffic congestion and logistical challenges.

Closure of a few metro stations like the Supreme Court and Central Secretariat is also on the cards due to security reasons, said police sources, adding that heavy vehicles, excluding those involved in essential services, may not be allowed to enter the city from September 8 to 10.

In the letter, police said the summit is likely to be attended by 29 Heads of State/Heads of Government including, EU and invited guest countries and 14 Heads of International Organisations. Apart from the main summit venue i.e. IECC, Pragati Maidan, there are other venues such as Rajghat, IARI Pusa and NGMA (Jaipur House) which will be visited by the foreign dignitaries.

The G20 summit, a gathering of leaders from the world’s largest economies, is scheduled to be held on September 9 and September 10 at the recently-inaugurated state-of-the-art Bharat Mandapam convention centre in Delhi’s Pragati Maidan under India’s presidency.

India is hosting the G20 summit and the main event will be held in New Delhi on September 9-10. The summit is likely to be attended by 29 heads of state as well as top EU officials and invited guest countries and 14 heads of international organisations.

“There are multiple Hotels in Delhi/NCR which have been so far earmarked as places of stay for the Heads of States/ Governments/ International Organisations and their respective delegates. There will be multiple arrangements of massive scale during this summit for which the Delhi Police has prepared a comprehensive security-cum- movement plan,” the letter read.

“Since, most of the arrivals will take place on September 8 and delegates will depart to their respective countries on September 10-11, there will be a massive movement of traffic which needs to be curtailed to ensure safe passage for the delegates from airport to hotels and to the other venues during the summit,” the Delhi Police said in its letter.

“It is also advisable to issue directions for all business/commercial establishments falling within the ‘controlled zone’ falling mostly in New Delhi District and indicated on the enclosed map (with red border), to remain closed during this period,” it said.

The Delhi Police are busy making special arrangements to ensure smooth vehicular movement during the summit which will see the arrival of several heads of state and diplomats including US President Joe Biden, Chinese Premier Xi Jinping, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and French President Emmanuel Macron. As part of the preparations, the Delhi traffic police conducted a mock drill on major roads connecting Pragati Maidan - the main venue of the summit, with various hotels, to review restriction and diversion arrangements on Monday.

Multiple teams of traffic police personnel were deployed at different junctions and barricades were put up at diversion points and junctions as part of the exercise.

Special CP (Traffic) SS Yadav said his department was in coordination with the transport department and the Delhi Metro. Routes on which DTC buses will not be allowed to ply during the summit would be decided and some of the metro stations might be closed as well, he said. “It is a coordinated effort and people of Delhi will be informed about each and every step taken in this direction,” Yadav said.