Delhi Lt Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena activated the rain contingency plan as it began to pour during the dinner for G20 leaders hosted by President Droupadi Murmu.
According to a Raj Niwas official, various Government departments and agencies had formulated rain contingency plans in case of a downpour.
They added that Saxena has also thanked Delhi-NCR residents for making the G20 Summit a grand success.
“The Lt Governor underlined that without their support, enthusiasm and patience in face of inconveniences, this international event could not have played out with the perfection that it did,” an official said.
Responding to waterlogging at Bharat Mandampam due to overnight rainfall, the Raj Niwas said India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) officials reported to Saxena at 5 am that water had accumulated at the parking area near gate 5 of the ITPO Complex — where the Bharat Mandapam is located — due to the incessant overnight rain.
He was then informed at 6 am that the water had been drained using the heavy duty contingency pumps deployed for this purpose.
When the dignitaries arrived at 10 am for the second day’s session, the area was clean, green and spruced up.
Throughout these operations, the officers deputed to the site sent before and after pictures of the sites to the Lt Governor”, they added.
“For waterlogging that occurred at certain sites prone to flooding, pumps were immediately put into action. The water was drained within 15 minutes during the night. Similarly, potted plants that tumbled due to the impact of rain and wind were replaced immediately and incidents of trees falling in the NDMC area was addressed,” the official said.
Similarly, the authorities swung into action to repair a water fountain that stopped working due to a choked nozzle, he added.
“During the dinner hosted by the President of Bharat, it began to rain and Saxena activated the contingency plan put in place for such an eventuality,” said the official.
Officers from different departments, including those from the Lt Governor’s Secretariat, deployed for this purpose reported to him at regular intervals about the problems being faced and the steps taken to address those.
The exercise continued throughout the night and the most minute detail was looked into with Saxena being updated on the status over the phone, said the official. Saxena also kept track of the arrival of dignitaries at Rajghat early on Sunday.
“The Lt Governor underlined that without their support, enthusiasm and patience in face of inconveniences, this international event could not have played out with the perfection that it did,” an official said.
Saxena also thanked the “rain gods” who made the stay of the visiting dignitaries all the more special by bringing down temperatures and improving the Air Quality Index.