The Capital is scheduled to host G20 leaders’ summit from September 9-10, which is expected to include the heads of states of the world’s 20 largest economies.

Lieutenant governor VK Saxena formed 11 monitoring committees headed by Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers to oversee work related to the G20 summit in each of the city’s 11 districts, including the New Delhi Municipal Council area, according to documents seen by HT.

The Capital is scheduled to host the G20 leaders’ summit from September 9-10, which is expected to include the heads of states of the world’s 20 largest economies. A massive exercise is underway to tidy up the city’s landscape, with roads being relaid, urban greenery being spruced up, and civic infrastructure fixed and overhauled.

The committees will review and address shortcomings in these areas, with a focus on cleanliness, sanitation, and civic utility upkeep. Each committee comprises an IAS officer, who will be the coordinator, a district magistrate (DM), a deputy commissioner of police, a deputy commissioner of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) or a secretary of the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), and a chief engineer of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA). The decision to constitute the monitoring committees was taken after a meeting chaired by the LG on Tuesday.

The panels have been directed to then submit an action taken report on the Delhi e-monitoring app within 48 hours since the order was issued. The coordinators have been asked to submit the reports every Monday and Thursday on the app, after site visits, the order issued on Wednesday said.

Special secretary (planning) Ravi Dhawan was tasked with compiling these reports and submitting them to the LG and the chief secretary every Tuesday and Friday.

It remains unclear what role the elected government of Delhi led by the Aam Aadmi Party will play in these committees, given the ongoing tussle between the LG and the government over control of services in the Capital. The panels constituted by the LG largely comprise IAS officers who will be supported by DANICS officers.

Representatives of the Delhi government did not respond to requests for a comment.

The order added that the committee will monitor the overall cleanliness of roads, footpaths, underpasses, overbridges, streets, parks, public spaces, commercial areas, etc. A number of these affairs fall under the Public Works Department, an agency under the Delhi government, and the MCD, controlled by AAP.

“The committees have to check pot-holes, damaged footpaths, green cover, damaged central verge, road paints, road reflectors, street lights, signages, electricity poles, electrical boxes on utility poles, removal of weeds, landscaping, police facilitation booths, public utilities available on that road like public toilets, water ATMs, etc. The committees will coordinate to get the issues fixed in coordination with the departments concerned,” said a Delhi government official, requesting anonymity.

A second Delhi government official, who asked not to be named, said that preparations for G20 were going on for a long time and the work was on track. “The committees have been asked to complete tasks by July 31. work is being monitored every day at the level of the chief secretary and the LG. After the work is completed by July 31, regular maintenance work and supervision will continue,” the official said, asking not to be named.

A senior bureaucrat added that the execution of the work is done by officers irrespective of whether the work was being monitored by the elected government or the LG. “LG has a key role to play in the G20 preparations because the preparations involve Delhi Police, NDMC, DDA, MCD besides the Public Works Department (PWD),” said the officer.

All departments concerned have also been directed to nominate one officer not below the rank of an executive engineer in particular areas to ensure the compliance of directions related to tasks. The order said that the departments will also furnish the details of such officers to the LG office and the chief secretary’s office.

Among the 46 roads listed to be improved are Dr Zakir Hussain Marg, Mathura Road, Bhiaron Marg, Mahatma Gandhi Marg Ring Road, Kartavya Path, Maharaja Ranjeet Singh Marg, Africa Avenue, Akbar Road, Mehrauli Gurugram Road, Vikas Marg, Noida Link Road, DND flyover, DND Road and Lala Lajpat Rai Marg.

Officials of the PWD and MCD did not respond to requests for a comment.

According to the order, the IAS officers who will be the coordinates for the committees are: Krishna Mohan Uppu for Central district, K Mahesh for East Delhi, Ravi Dhawan for New Delhi, Vikram Singh Malik for North Delhi, Dilraj Kaur for North East Delhi, Bhupesh Chaudhary for North West Delhi, Rahul Singh for Shahdara, Ashok Kumar for South Delhi, Monica Priyadarshini for South East Delhi, Himanshu Gupta for South West Delhi, CR Garg for West Delhi

Failure to adhere to the timeline shall attract disciplinary action, including suspension, against the responsible officers. LG and chief secretary may inspect the progress from time to time,” the order added.

The G20 members represent around 85% of the global GDP, over 75% of the global trade, and about two-thirds of the world population and it comprises 19 countries including Australia, China, France, Germany, India, the United Kingdom, and the United States apart from the European Union.