Delhi will be closed from September 8 to 10 for the G20 Summit
According to officials, all municipal, state-run, and non-essential private offices in Delhi will be closed from September 8 to 10 for the G20 Summit. Markets and banks in New Delhi’s police district will also be shuttered throughout the summit, while certain Metro stations may be closed for security reasons. The closure aims to reduce traffic congestion and discomfort for residents. The shutdown has not yet been formally mandated, and merchants have requested that stores remain open throughout the event.
All municipal, state-run, and non-essential private offices in Delhi would be closed between September 8 and 10 owing to the G20, officials said on Tuesday.
The government made the decision after the Delhi Police recommended a government vacation on September 8-10 in a letter to Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar.
According to an unnamed source, a file to declare the holiday was presented to General Administration Department minister Gopal Rai, who accepted it and sent it to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who also approved the plan.
According to officials, a formal order designating the public holiday would be issued after Lieutenant Governor (LG) VK Saxena gave his final consent to the plan.
LG Saxena, according to a second senior official, would make a gazette notification in this regard. “After the gazette notification, commercial and business establishments will be asked to close their doors between September 8 and 10,” an unnamed official added.
According to government officials with knowledge of the situation, all marketplaces and banks in the New Delhi police area will remain closed during the G20 Summit.
A third person familiar with the situation added, “A few Metro stations, such as the Supreme Court and Central Secretariat, are also expected to be closed for security reasons.” Between September 8 and 10, no large vehicles, except those participating in critical services, will be able to enter the city.”
Brijesh Goyal, head of the Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI), stated that no formal order about the closure of stores in the New Delhi region has yet been issued.
“Please avoid the urge to allow stores to close. Retailers are happy to assist the authorities with security and other objectives, and the government should keep the stores open so that customers may shop.”
Earlier, in a letter to chief secretary Kumar, special commissioner of police (security) Madhup Tiwari stated that, given the magnitude of the G20 Summit and the significant logistical arrangements involved, making the event a public holiday would help to reduce possible traffic congestion and annoyance for Delhi residents.
“It may also make it possible for attendees of this international conference to do so without risking their own personal security or safety, which would be beneficial for the event as a whole. It is also recommended to provide guidelines for all commercial businesses, including markets, located primarily in the New Delhi area during this period,” according to the letter.
“The recommendation was made to declare a government holiday for three days in order to alleviate any potential traffic congestion and logistical challenges,” stated Deputy Commissioner of Police (Public Relations) Suman Nalwa. He has been asked to issue orders for the closure of commercial and business businesses in the “controlled zones.” It is because of the numerous large-scale plans made for the G20 that Delhi Police has created a thorough security-cum-movement strategy,” she explained.
