Tighten security at G20 Summit venue, Home Ministry tells CISF

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.

The Indian Express has 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.

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.