Delhi to keep its fountains and statues after the G20 Summit says govt

New Delhi, A maintenance agency will be hired to safekeep the assets created during the G20 Summit, Delhi minister Atishi said here on Monday and added that beautification work will continue in other parts of the city. In a press conference held here, Delhi cabinet ministers Atishi and Saurabh Bharadwaj thanked the people of Delhi for making the G20 Summit a success.

Talking to PTI Video, Atishi, who is also in charge of Public Works Department (PWD), said that she held a meeting Monday morning regarding the beautification work to be carried out in the national capital.

"From tomorrow, PWD officials will be on ground to see that beautification works commence in other areas, apart from those that were beautified for the summit," she said.

When asked about the measures being taken for the security of the assets created for the mega event, Atishi said, "We will hire a maintenance agency for safekeep of statues and fountains installed for the summit."

The two-day event under India's presidency of the influential bloc concluded on Sunday.

Atishi and Saurabh Bharadwaj also held a press conference assuring that Delhi's beautification will continue after the summit.

Urban Development minister Bharadwaj said that the Public Works Department (PWD), Urban Development (UD) and Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) will work together to keep the national capital beautiful in future as well.

"We want to congratulate the two crore people of Delhi for their cooperation in making the G20 Summit successful. It was with their money which was collected through taxes that we could beautify Delhi," Bharadwaj said.

"For three days, people of Delhi had confined themselves to their homes. On some days, they faced traffic jams as well. PWD, MCD, UD and many other departments will work together to make Delhi beautiful in future as well," he said.

PWD minister Atishi added, "Mechanical road sweeping and road washing was going on in a systematic way during the G20 Summit. This will continue now by MCD," Atishi said.

"If need arises, Delhi government will support them in buying more machines to keep Delhi clean. We will not wait for even a single day. I called a review meeting today (Monday) morning. From tomorrow, I will be on ground zero to review the areas where the beautification works will be carried out," she said.

Atishi said there are 1,400 kilometres of roads under the PWD and they will carry out beautification work, including decorative horticulture, on them.

To a question on why the data of dengue cases in Delhi have not been made public in recent weeks, Bharadwaj said, "We have asked the MCD to share data of dengue cases in the national capital. We have asked the health department and chief secretary to hold a campaign for dengue awareness."