Nearly 450 large banners bearing images of Red Fort, Humayun’s Tomb, Lotus Temple, and other iconic heritage sites in Delhi have been put up across the city by the municipal corporation to welcome heads of state and other international guests who will arrive here for the G20 Summit. As part of a city beautification drive by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), new murals have also been painted on public walls depicting the cultural heritage of India, as well as the successful soft-landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the Moon.
These large banners also bear the G20 logo, the theme ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’, ‘One Earth. One Family. One Future’ with a welcome message, and have largely been put up on unipoles which usually carry advertisements.
A senior civic official told PTI, “We had decided to put up welcome banners in the city for the G20 Summit. As it is a landmark occasion for the country and Delhi is at its epicenter, we chose to showcase our built heritage. So, the banners depict monuments like Red Fort, Humayun’s Tomb, Qutub Minar, Lotus Temple, etc. Nearly 450 such banners have been put up across the city.”
The MCD is divided into 12 zones, including Central Zone, South Zone, City-Sadar Paharganj, Najafgarh Zone, West Zone, Civil Lines Zone, and North Shahdara Zone. These huge welcome banners have been put up in all parts of the city which come under our administration.
These thematic banners can be seen on roads like DDU Marg, Lodhi Road, Ring Road, areas near New Delhi railway station, and other prominent streets. Posters have also been put up in the trans-Yamuna area and streets in the Najafgarh Zone. The MCD’s beautification drive also includes colourful artworks depicting Indian cultural heritage painted on walls of public conveniences and G20 thematic posters on spaces meant for displaying advertisements.
Murals themed on Chandrayaan-3 feat have come up on walls near Vinobapuri Metro station and on the walls of a garbage dumpyard in Nizamuddin area. The colourful mural depicts a spacecraft over the Moon, a lander sitting on the lunar surface, and the G20 logo adorns a corner of the wall. Artistic sculptures made of scrap material have been installed at eight locations.
The MCD has also undertaken initiatives like developing beautifully landscaped gardens with artwork made of waste products, desilting drains, beautifying stretches of roads, and creating selfie points to ensure the success of the G20 Summit and to showcase the city’s commitment to hosting such a significant gathering.
