Delhi's Green Makeover Gone Awry: Potted plants start disappearing from G20 beautified streets

Just three weeks after the conclusion of the G20 Summit, which saw the city's beautification with a green makeover, many of the potted plants placed along the roads around Bharat Mandapam at Pragati Maidan have started disappearing.

In a concerning turn of events, on Tuesday afternoon, at the busy Bhairon Marg, a group of women and children could be seen overturning some white plastic pots, dumping the mud on the grass and leaving casually with the stolen goods.

In the run-up to the summit last month, the Public Works Department (PWD) had placed about 1.6 lakh flowering and lush green potted plants to fill the gaps on central verges and roadsides. It had also received assistance from Delhi Police, which deployed cops to stand vigil and keep an eye out for theft.


However, at present, most of the security staff earlier seen on the roads is absent, leaving the public property vulnerable to theft and damage. With no proper maintenance, many of the plants have also dried up.

According to an official in PWD's horticulture wing, the department has taken almost half of the pots placed for G20 back to four nurseries to avoid theft. To take care of the remaining plants, private contractors will be hired.

"We are watering the pots placed along the roads with the help of tankers. But that is not sufficient sometimes. About half the pots that were smaller in size - with a diameter less than 18cm - have been sent back to the nurseries. The problem might be with the pots placed by the forest department," said the official in a TOI report, adding that so far, no direct complaint from the zones has been made to the police.

While there was no immediate response from forest officials on Tuesday, a department official had earlier said: "A few incidents were reported wherein flowerpots were damaged after bikers rammed them. The two-wheelers were also damaged."

As part of the G20 preparations, PWD had used potted plants to add to the existing green spaces along key roads, including Zakir Hussain Marg, Purana Qila, Mahatma Gandhi Marg, Sachivalaya Road, Mandir Marg, Press Enclave Marg, and Vikas Marg. A section of Mathura Road in front of Bharat Mandapam had been turned into a lush green zone with a series of fresh, flowering plants placed side by side in earthen and plastic pots. Four types of palms were also procured - seaforthia, raphis, phoenix, and areca.

Theft has been a major problem for PWD to deal with, with three nozzles of fountains at Delhi Gate stolen last month. Earlier, electrical items and decorative lights were reported missing too.

(With inputs from TOI)