As the city gears up to host dignitaries from G20 nations from December 13-16, the BMC has reportedly covered several slum areas with white-coloured curtains and installed barricades along the Western Express Highway.
The government has pulled out all the stops since last week as part of the beautification drive for the global summit. The G-20 delegates may visit the Kanheri caves inside the Sanjay Gandhi National Park as a part of their Mumbai sightseeing programme prompting the authorities to spruce up the entire stretch of the Western Express Highway.
The facades of the slums are being curtained, welcome boards and big advertisements of the government are being put up. To conceal the overlooking Mithi river along the Sion-Bandra Road and Bandra Kurla Complex, several barricades have been installed to prevent visibility of the dirty stretch during the VIP movement.
Apart from this, the signage and dividers at several spots are being cleaned and painted on the VIP routes from the airport.
During Xi Jinping and Donald Trump’s visits to Ahmedabad, the authorities constructed walls to hide the stark realities of the city.
Meanwhile, the BEST started its drive to revamp 600 bus stops. Under the initiative, the undertaking will add high-tech features to 600 stops. Of them, 50 halts are to be modernised in the next two months.
The first stop to be illuminated was the one at Mantralaya, Churchgate. Some of the features to be added are CCTVs, braille signage, SOS panic button and ergonomically-designed seats. The plan is part of the city's beautification programme announced by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
“As BEST stop shelters are also part of the city infrastructure, they will also be revamped,” BEST General Manager Lokesh Chandra had said earlier.
