City gears up for 4-day India-Africa Forum Summit

LG Najeeb Jung on Tuesday directed the Delhi police to spruce up security at all the tourist sites in the city during four days of the India-Africa Forum Summit to be held between October 26 and 29. As per the plan Delhi Police will deploy an officer of the rank of DCP as head of the security arrangements at each hotel designated to host guests during the summit in which 54 nations of Africa are participating.

“LG also directed Health Secretary of Delhi government to ensure that the beds in the government and private hospitals are earmarked and reserved for meeting any emergency of the foreign dignitaries,” said a spokesperson of Delhi Secretariat. LG on Tuesday took a review meeting of the preparedness of the event with the chiefs of all the departments and government agencies in the city. “Ambulance at Airport, event venues, hospitals, banquets and hotels where foreign delegates will stay must be available in sufficient numbers. Public health issues should also be addressed effectively,” added the spokesperson informing about the meeting. He further directed that doctors and other staff of the hospitals must be present and available during the period of the summit. 

Present in the meeting were Delhi police commissioner B S Bassi, Delhi Chief Secretary K K Sharma, DDA VC Arun Goel, NDMC Chairman Naresh Kumar, commissioners of MCDs among others. The LG directed the civic agencies to ensure cleanliness and beautification of roads specifically in New Delhi area. Delhi government has appointed Principal Secretary of PWD Chetan V Sangi as nodal officer for the event. As per the security arrangements of the venue of the event IGI Stadium has been divided into 8 zones — each under one DCP. Nodal officers for all the venues have been ear-marked. “One DCP shall be in charge of contingency arrangements including mass evacuation and aerial surveillance. Hit teams and snipers teams from NSG are also being deployed,” said a senior officer of Delhi government. The LG has emphasised that a 24x7 control room should be set up in such a way that all the nodal officers of different organisations should be connected at the time of emergency and these arrangements should be given wide publicity.