Roads have been renovated and pavements decorated with flowers and large posters of India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as authorities in New Delhi prepare to welcome world leaders at the G20 Summit this weekend.
The Indian capital is to host the talks, with US President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau among the leaders set to arrive in the city.
The summit, held on September 9 and 10, will take place at Bharat Mandapam – a newly built sprawling international convention and exhibition centre that cost 270 million rupees ($3.2 million) – where visiting dignitaries are expected to discuss economic growth, green development and climate finance.
Mr Modi’s government also wants to use the event to emphasise India’s economic prosperity and present the country as a “Vishwaguru", or world leader. India currently holds the rotating G20 presidency.
Preparations in Delhi
The city, home to 22 million people, has undergone major improvements in preparation for the summit.
Roads have been cleaned, trees and plants manicured, and about 700,000 flower pots placed across the city. Flowers have also been spread across roundabouts, with police standing guard.
Boundary walls and road signs have been freshly repainted, while murals add a splash of colour to metro stations.
Historic monuments including Qutub Minar and the Red Fort have been illuminated, with streets adorned with colourful lights.
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Police personnel patrol a street in front of India’s presidential palace, Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi, ahead of the commencement of the Delhi G20 Summit 2023. AFP -
A sand sculpture created by Indian sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik representing US President Joe Biden's visit to India for the two-day G20 summit is pictured at Puri beach in India's Odisha state. AFP -
Indian paramilitary soldiers with a sniffer dog frisk the area near the venue ahead of this week's summit of the Group of 20 nations, in New Delhi, India. AFP -
A man walks past an installation on a skywalk ahead of the G20 summit in New Delhi, India. Reuters -
Municipal workers wash a side walk near a billboard featuring Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and wall paintings of Indian freedom fighters ahead of this week's summit of the Group of 20 nations, in New Delhi, India. AP Photo -
Indian paramilitary soldiers stand guard near a life-size cutout of a langur at a forested area, meant to deter monkeys as the city hosts the G20 summit, in New Delhi, India. AP Photo -
A man rides his trishaw past hoardings installed alongside a pavement ahead of the G20 summit in New Delhi, India. Reuters -
A cyclist rides past a bus stop with a poster of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of this week's summit of the Group of 20 nations in New Delhi, India. AP Photo -
A scrap iron sculpture of a lion, the national animal of Great Britain is displayed at a park in New Delhi ahead of the G20 India summit. AFP -
A scrap iron sculpture of a magpie, the national bird of South Korea is displayed at a park in New Delhi ahead of the G20 India summit. AFP -
A scrap iron sculpture of a puma, the national animal of Argentina is displayed at a park in New Delhi ahead of the G20 India summit. AFP -
Students give final touches to paintings of US President Joe Biden, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at an art school in Mumbai, ahead of the two-day G20 summit in New Delhi. AFP -
Students of Gurukul School of Art hold portraits of the Japanese prime minister and the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia for the upcoming G20 summit, in Mumbai, India. India is all set for the G20 summit scheduled for 09 and 10 September in New Delhi. EPA -
G20 signage welcomes foreign and national visitors in Delhi, India. The 18th G20 summit will take place September 9 - 10, 2023. Getty Images
An 8.5-metre statue of Nataraja – the cosmic dancer form of Hindu god Shiva – has been installed at the entrance of the G20 summit venue.
Large stone statues of lions have been set up on streets and musical fountains constructed near the banks of the Yamuna River.
Parts of the city will be shut down from September 7 and a public holiday has been announced until September 10.
Government and private offices, education institutions, businesses and markets are to close for security reasons and to ease traffic.
Securing the summit
As many as 130,000 security personnel have been stationed on major roads and streets. Officers armed with sniper rifles have been sent to rooftops, while the authorities will also use anti-drone technology to maintain security.
Counter-terrorism guards, known as Black Cats, will be on standby during the summit. The forces have undergone intensive training in preparation for the event.
About 400 firefighters will also be on call and 20 trained dogs will be at the summit venue, as well as in neighbouring areas of New Delhi.
More than 50 jets will land at Delhi airport for the summit and the government has provided 20 bulletproof limousines to ferry leaders across the city.
Monkeys, Dogs and Dengue
To keep roaming monkeys from attacking visitors in the capital, authorities have put up life-size posters of grey langurs.
Some videos on social media have also shown stray dogs being captured.
An order by municipal authorities to clear Delhi of strays was recalled after criticism from animal rights activists.
Delhi continues to experience dry weather, with no monsoon rains in the city for weeks. The hot and humid weather has led to a sharp increase in cases of dengue fever and malaria.
Authorities have fumigated some neighbourhoods and conducted house inspections to curb the number of mosquitoes responsible for spreading the diseases.
'Hiding poverty'
Authorities have also put up sheets in an effort to obscure the city's most impoverished areas from view. Several areas have been demolished over the past several months.
The government has justified the operations by claiming the structures were illegal.
More than 4,000 homeless people living under bridges and on the side of roads were moved to shelter homes across the city, reports said.
In several areas, roadside stalls and makeshift shops have also been removed.
