Tighten security at G20 Summit venue, Home Ministry tells CISF

The Ministry of Home Affairs has asked the CISF to deploy two companies for round-the-clock patrolling duty at the redeveloped Pragati Maidan complex — the venue for the G20 leaders’ summit in September.

The decision has been taken after the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO), owner of Pragati Maidan, last month sought security from the Delhi Police after reporting “minor thefts and unauthorised access inside the complex”.

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An official said ITPO chairman and managing director Pradeep Singh Kharola first wrote a letter to Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora on June 19, seeking security. He also wrote to Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla, requesting the Armed Police Force to provide round-the-clock static and patrolling duties.

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The Indian Expresshas learnt that discussions to provide security personnel were going on for the past one month and the MHA had conveyed to the Delhi Police in July first week to utilise two companies of CAPFs/SAPs/IRBNs, from the available strength of these forces. But no decision was taken by the Delhi Police.

“On July 7, a meeting of the Empowered Inter Ministerial Task Force, which was formed for the coordination and security during the G20 leaders’ summit, was held… It has been decided by MHA to send two companies of CISF for the deployment,” an official said. On July 12, the MHA sent a letter to CISF, asking them to send two companies to the venue. The site is being redeveloped since 2017. The initial deadline for the project was 2019, but work is still going on.

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In his letter to Arora, Kharola said the Ministry of External Affairs will begin the process of establishing the offices of G20 member states in hall no 14 and the media facilities in hall no 1 in a few weeks.

© The Indian Express (P) Ltd

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