MCDs asked to beautify city ahead of Asean meet

New Delhi: External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj has asked all municipal corporations in Delhi to start work on beautification of public places, monuments and gardens ahead of an India-Asean summit in January. The Union minister convened a meeting of all mayors and chairmen of standing committees of the three corporations Thursday.

According to North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) commissioner Madhup Vyas, the minister has asked the civic bodies to beautify monuments, places of tourist attraction, decorate roundabouts, crossings, and footpaths, and make them cleaner.

According to Mr Vyas, Ms Swaraj has asked the civic authorities to lay special emphasis on beautification of the Chandni Chowk area. “It was informed in the meeting that the Asean Summit will take place from January 19-30,” said Mr Vyas.

The NDMC chairman of the standing committee, Tilak Raj Kataria, said that a meeting of senior functionaries would be convened to work out plan on a sanitation-cum-beautification drive. South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) commissioner P.K. Goel said that the minister has directed the corporation to beautify surroundings around archaeologically significant monuments and tourist places, by nurturing green areas and illuminate monuments.

“Installation of uniform unipoles and kiosks at designated places, resurfacing of major roads under the jurisdiction of SDMC, beautification of areas around metro stations, and flyovers would also be done,” said Mr Goel.

The SDMC has also been asked to redesign its prominent parks to give then an ornamental look. The historical places and tourist place which are to be given a new look by refurbishing their surroundings, include, Safdarjang’s Tomb, Qutub Minar, Nizamuddin Dargah area, Raj Ghat, Humayun Tomb, Lotus Temple.