A little over two months to go before the world leaders arrive in New Delhi for the G20 summit, the National Security Guard (NSG) commandos are spreading out across venues to carry out a thorough security check.
Top officials confirmed to News18 that the security exercise will begin next week.
NSG, the lead commandos of the country, will carry out anti-terrorism, anti-sabotage drills starting next week at all G20 venues. The newly built International Exhibition-Convention Centre (IECC) at Pragati Maidan will host the heads of 19 states and the European Union on September 9 and September 10. Nearly 20 hotels across Aerocity, Lutyens’ Delhi and Dhaula Kuan area will host the dignitaries. NSG bomb squad will carry out multiple checks at each of these venues in repeated exercise starting next week.
“NSG will work in tandem with the Delhi police to carry out various security drills in the run-up to the G20 summit meeting,” an MHA official told News18. Delhi Fire service has also been roped in to augment their infrastructure to avoid any kind of untoward incidents during the big event. At all the big hotels such as ITC Maurya, Taj Mahal Hotel and Marriot, special fire ports are being set up. Delhi Police will ensure perimeter security at these venues while NSG commandos have been tasked with proximate security. Security services from the US, Russia, UK, China would have their own arrangements for their heads of states.
NSG and Navy Marcos were tasked to carry out full-proof security in Kashmir last month when the G20 delegates gathered for the tourism meet. From area domination exercise at Srinagar’s famous Lal Chowk to regular patrolling of Dal Lake, NSG commandos successfully kept away any saboteurs in Kashmir.
While intelligence agencies have flagged off possible attempts by anti-India forces to derail the summit meeting in New Delhi, officials said the security grid is confident.
Delhi to Turn ‘Very High Security Zone’ from September 1
Although the summit meeting of all the heads of states is on September 9 and 10, Delhi will gear up for VVIPS from September 5 with the 4th Sherpa meeting scheduled to take place in New Delhi on September 6; the 4th Finance and Central Bank Deputies meet, followed by the Joint Sherpas and finance deputies’ meeting will take place September on 7 and 8. The finance ministers and energy heads of the 20 countries and invitees will meet on September 9-10 even as the heads of states gather for the summit meet.
Tight Security at Airports, Hotels, Pragati Maidan
News18 has learnt that security arrangements are being made right from special hangars that are being set up at Palam Air Force Station and Terminal 3 of the Delhi airport. These will have specific hangars for special aircraft, which will bring in the world leaders.
Nearly 20 hotels in Aerocity, Dhaula Kuan and Lutyens’ Delhi have been identified for hosting heads of states and delegates. NSG is coordinating with the Delhi Police to carry out a thorough check of each one of these hotels.
At the fourth floor Pragati Maidan Convention Centre, multiple halls and lounges are being set up to host the summit. “The Pragati Maidan Centre will have bilateral meeting rooms, VVIP holding rooms, leaders’ lounge, listening rooms, country and prayers rooms and a media centre among other infrastructure. Each one of these rooms will be checked and rechecked multiple times in the run-up to the event to rule out any possibility of ‘unintended object’ at the venue,” an official said.
Cultural programmes with firework displays and drone swarms have also been planned by the organisers “throwing a security curve ball” at the security grid. Officials said anti-sabotage checks will ensure that no attempts are being made to derail any of the planned events by bringing in material camouflaged as the drones or fireworks.
Who are the Dignitaries
Heads of 19 countries including top protectees such as Joe Biden, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping will be present at the summit meet on September 9. Heads of Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, France, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey and EU will be in Delhi as India showcases its G20 presidency. India has also invited Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah Saeed Hussein Khalil El-Sisi, Mauritius’ Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, Netherlands’ Mark Rutte, Nigeria’s Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez and UAE’s Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
International organisations such as the United Nations, International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank, Word Health Organization (WHO), World Trade Organization (WTO), International Labour Organization (ILO), Financial Stability Board and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD); Chairs of AU, AUDA-NEPAD (New Partnership for Africa’s Development) and Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN).
While multiple security agencies, para military forces and local police will be tasked to ensure full proof security of the visiting dignitaries, NSG as the lead commando force of the country has its task cut out to ensure no terror or sabotage attempt happens to derail the high profile summit.
Comments
0 comment