Chandigarh’s 7-star, 4-crore spread for G20 delegates

In the details accessed by The Indian Express, it was stated that elaborate arrangements to accommodate the foreign dignitaries have been made at The Lalit.

Artists prepare for the G20 meet at Rock Garden in Chandigarh. Express

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From fancy kites with lights for the feel-good visuals to guides who are fluent in Spanish and English to narrate histories of iconic places, from beautifully lit boats bearing flags of G20 countries at Sukhna to a gala dinner for the delegates and their loading in city’s best five-star hotels – the Chandigarh Administration has left no stone unturned to put up a good show in hosting the upcoming G20 meet. The entire affair is to cost the UT Administration around Rs 5 crore, part of which are the arrangements made if the delegates wish to play polo or golf.

In the details accessed by The Indian Express, it was stated that elaborate arrangements to accommodate the foreign dignitaries have been made at The Lalit.

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“In case of spillovers, people will be accommodated in Hyatt or JW Marriott or the UT Guest House by the G20 Secretariat,” an internal communication of the Chandigarh administration departments said.

“At the Sukhna Lake Club on the day of Gala-Dinner, the tourism department will fly lit kites. The police department to organise lit boats with flags of G20 Countries. The Director General of Police, Chandigarh, and the Director Tourism will coordinate for the same,” the communication said.

There are two dinners planned – one in the lawns of The Lalit (January 29) and one at Sukhna Lake Club House (January 30). The Sukhna Lake gala dinner would include a 30-minute cultural programme with dance and musical performance by local artistes, etc. The Chandigarh Administration would provide a theme and stalls to showcase local taste.

Guides fluent in English, Spanish, French etc., have also been deployed to brief about the visiting places of history in Chandigarh.

It was also stated by UT that the representatives/delegates who will attend the G20 events in Chandigarh shall visit Sukhna Lake Club, Rock Garden and Capitol Complex alongside Golf Club, IRBn Complex, Sarangpur, for polo matches as well as boating at Sukhna Lake Club, etc. They shall also visit Pinjore Garden at Pinjore-Haryana and the Secretary Tourism, Chandigarh Administration, has been asked to coordinate with departments for needful action.

A village theme

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The Chandigarh Municipal Corporation has been asked to set up and decorate based on a village theme and street food stalls with ongoing cultural performances at Phase 3 of Rock Garden during the visit of G20 delegates. The Tourism and Industries Department has been asked to coordinate with commissioner of the Municipal Corporation.

For the gala dinner the stage theme, event management, lighting, chairs, etc., will be done by the ICCR, New Delhi, in consultation with the G20 Secretariat and cultural and tourism departments.

To review the arrangements for the G20, a joint team of officers of the Chandigarh Administration and the Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, had already visited Chandigarh.

The teams visited Sukhna Lake Club, Rock Garden, Capitol Complex and The Lalit. Sources said that “the G20 delegates will start arriving in Chandigarh from January 27. It was informed that RTPCR tests of all delegates who are coming for the G20 events, will be conducted by the Ministry of External Affairs at Delhi. The health secretary will be coordinating with the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India for the same.

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For the movement of the G20 members, as many as 55 Innova Crystas have been arranged, along with two luxury coaches and 15 Ciaz/Dzire cars, as per “transport requirements”.

The 55 Innova Crystas have been asked to be made available from January 27 to February 1.

There will be a total of 170 members including 94 delegates. Apart from the 170 members, there would be 55 officers from DEA and ministries.

After the pools-die dinner in at the Lalit on January 29, there will be two sessions on January 30. The session I will be on Strengthening Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) to address shared global challenges of the 21st century. The second session will be on IMF’s 16th General Review of Quotas (GRQ).

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On January 31, there will be three sessions – Session-III: the Global Financial Safety Net (GFSN) and following up on Session-IV: Managing Global Debt Vulnerabilities, followed by Session-V: Strengthening Financial Resilience through Sustainable Capital.

Hina Rohtaki

Hina Rohtaki is a Special Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in Chandigarh. She is one of the most prominent journalists covering the Chandigarh Administration, civic issues, and the unique political status of the Union Territory. Professional Background Experience: She has been in the field for over a decade and is known for her investigative reporting on administrative waste and urban governance. Awards: She is a recipient of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award, which was presented to her by the President of India in January 2020. She was also awarded the Jethmalani prize (The Will of Steel Awards) in 2025 in the Empowerment category for a series of articles that highlighted the struggles of Covid widows. Core Beat: Her primary focus is the Chandigarh administrative structure, the Union Territory's financial management, and urban development projects. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent work highlights a focus on government accountability, administrative expenditures, and civic trends: 1. Investigative & Financial Reporting "Fuelling power: Senior UT IAS officers guzzled petrol worth Rs 30 lakh in 2 yrs" (Dec 14, 2025): An investigative report detailing the high fuel bills of top bureaucrats, including the Finance Secretary and Chief Secretary’s staff. "Admn spends Rs 1.5 crore on dismantling road railings and fixing again after increasing height" (Dec 8, 2025): Highlighting administrative waste on "non-viable" solutions for pedestrian control. "Chandigarh’s finances under ministry’s watch now" (Nov 27, 2025): Reporting on the new requirement for MHA approval for all new projects in the UT. 2. Governance & Constitutional Status "What will it mean for Chandigarh if it is brought under Article 240?" (Nov 24, 2025): An "Explained" piece on the potential constitutional shift that would grant the President more power over the UT's governance. "MP Manish Tewari moves Bill seeking directly elected Mayor with 5-year tenure" (Dec 6, 2025): Covering the legislative push to reform Chandigarh's municipal leadership structure. "No proposal to increase Mayor's term in Chandigarh by 5 years: Centre" (Dec 10, 2025): Reporting on the Union government's response to demands for a longer mayoral term. 3. Urban Infrastructure & Environment "Chandigarh admn cuts power to India's tallest air purifier, asks firm to dismantle it" (Nov 17, 2025): A critical report on the failure of a high-cost environmental project deemed "of no use" by experts. "UT rethinks 24/7 water supply project as costs soar" (Nov 26, 2025): Detailing the financial challenges and delays in modernizing the city's water network. "Centre 'obfuscating, covering up' MC's shifting deadlines for clearing Dadu Majra dump" (Dec 12, 2025): Reporting on the ongoing controversy surrounding the city's major waste dump. 4. Lifestyle & Local Trends "Chandigarh turns into a Thar city as women fuel the surge" (Dec 2, 2025): A feature on a unique automotive trend in the city, with a record 600 registrations by women drivers this year. "After fivefold spike in 2023, EV sales struggle to pick pace in Chandigarh" (Dec 2, 2025): Analyzing the slowdown in electric vehicle adoption despite previous surges. Signature Beat Hina is known for her meticulous tracking of RTI (Right to Information) data to expose administrative inefficiency. Her "Ground Zero" reporting on the Dadu Majra garbage dump and her scrutiny of the Chandigarh Smart City projects have made her a key figure in the city’s civil society discourse. X (Twitter): @HinaRohtaki ... Read More

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