G20 Summit preparation in Delhi; all offices, schools, shops, and banks will be closed from 8-10 September

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• Aug 22, 2023 | Poonam Nath

In light of the summit, the Special Commissioner of Delhi Police has advised that a government holiday be declared from...

Digital Desk: In preparation for the G20 Summit, all government, municipal corporation, and private offices and schools in Delhi would be closed from September 8 to September 10, said Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, adding that banks, financial institutions, and stores will also be closed on these three days.

This comes only hours after the Special Commissioner of the Delhi Police wrote to the city government's Chief Secretary, requesting a government vacation from September 8 to September 10.

The G20 summit, a gathering of leaders from the world's top economies, is set to take place on September 9 and 10 at the newly-opened state-of-the-art Bharat Mandapam convention hall in Delhi's Pragati Maidan, under India's chairmanship. 

The call for action is intended to reduce potential traffic congestion and logistical issues. 

"Because the majority of the arrivals will occur on September 8 and delegates will depart to their respective countries on September 10-11, there will be a massive movement of traffic that must be curtailed to ensure safe passage for the delegates from the airport to hotels and the other venues during the summit," the letter stated.

The Delhi Police are working hard to ensure smooth vehicular movement during the summit, which will be attended by several heads of state and diplomats, including US Vice 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 simulated drill on major routes connecting Pragati Maidan, the summit's primary location, and several hotels on Monday to evaluate restriction and diversion procedures.

As part of the practice, multiple teams of traffic police officers were deployed at various crossroads, and barricades were placed at diversion points and junctions. 

The G20 summit is expected to bring heads of state, economic specialists, and officials from many industries together to discuss global economic concerns, collaboration, and policy coordination. 

The police have been training their officers to handle chemical and biological weapons, as well as focusing on interpersonal abilities. 

The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) provided a four-week specific training at its training centre in Madhya Pradesh for nineteen "markswomen" of the Delhi Police, women commandos of its Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) section.

Aside from that, the Delhi Police Department has acquired specialised guns, ammo, bulletproof vests, and X-ray machines.

As the global spotlight turns to Delhi for this historic event, cooperation between law enforcement agencies and the local government will be critical to the event's accomplishment.