Officials discuss planning, review preparations for next G20 event

Varanasi: To pan beautification of the city ahead of hosting the second G20 event, the summit of development ministers of member states and invited countries and by adding services like water taxi, officials of the district administration and other departments held a marathon meeting on Saturday.
After reviewing progress of work by committees formed to monitor different projects, divisional commissioner Kaushal Raj Sharma fixed May 28 as deadline to complete all preparations.
Regarding water taxis that are planned to be operate up to Ganga Dwar of Kashi Vishwanath Dham from Rajghat and Assi Ghat through corporate social responsibility (CSR) fund, the commissioner said intercity transport limited’s managing director will finalise the plan for their operation and decide the fare.
Varanasi Municipal Corporation was asked to complete the process of interdepartmental takeover of the pre-installed façade lights at ghats along the Ganga and ensure synchronisation of the new façade lights with it. VMC was also asked to identify place for establishing a women’s toilet in Godowlia areas.
Asking officials to execute all work keeping G20 summits in mind, Sharma directed for designer motif flexes and other sheets to replace green nets to bar the view. He expressed displeasure over painting and beautification of of electric poles and sought explanation for it from the superintending engineer of electricity department with factual and statistical reports.
Apart from district magistrate S Rajaligam, vice chairmen of Varanasi Development Authority Abhishek Goyal and municipal commissioner Sipu Giri, officials of all departments concerned attended the meeting in which commissioner asked for videography and photography of all work done by May 28.
The series of G20 events started with a summit on agriculture here in April while the next summit of development ministers is schedule in June. Three other proposed G20 events will take place in August.