New Delhi: With the BRICS summit scheduled to be held at Bharat Mandapam from Sept 11 to 13, New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has stepped up its sanitation, beautification, maintenance and security works, particularly along the routes to be used by the dignitaries.NDMC’s integrated Command and Control Centre at Palika Kendra will function round the clock from Sept 5 to 14, along with a control room to monitor traffic and attend calls. “Two officers at the level of director or joint director will be deployed in each of the three shifts, while 11 wings have been assigned night duty to ensure any issue arising can be responded to in a timely manner,” said NDMC vice chairman Kuljeet Chahal.It has also been decided that the respective department in-charge would be available to attend calls while the chief security officer will liaise with Delhi Police and traffic police, said officials.Special mist-spraying will be done at five locations — Lodhi Road, Tilak Marg, Africa Avenue, Shantipath and Zakir Hussain Road — to control dust and pollution.The preparations include decorative lighting at 17 major roundabouts, 11 hotels and 10 NDMC buildings, besides floral boards at 15 locations, floral fountains at nine locations and more than 15,000 flower pots along major roads and important intersections.According to Chahal, all illumination-related work is expected to be done by Sept 9. Work orders have been issued, and installation has begun.The civic body claims to complete 100% verification of streetlights along all summit-related routes and replace faulty lights identified during the exercise. “Around 350 electrical panel boxes installed along roads have been given a facelift with BRICS-themed flex stickers,” said Chahal.As part of the branding exercise, 309 sites have been identified, including 154 digital media screens, 83 PTU/CTU flex sites and 72 bus queue shelters. NDMC said installation at all these sites has been completed.“We are also monitoring 41 major roads along delegate and VIP routes. Repair work on roads, footpaths and bus shelters has been completed, while painting has been finished on 32 roads. Work on the remaining nine roads is underway,” said Chahal.NDMC has made special arrangements at potential waterlogging hotspots. At Baba Kharak Singh Marg, an additional 80 HP pump and a mobile pumping van with 24 IIP capacity have been deployed. At Mandir Marg, another 20 HP pump has been installed along with 45 metres of additional 900-mm diameter drainage pipe.
