Varanasi gears up to get a makeover ahead of G20 meetings, security to be beefed up

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Lok Sabha constituency, Varanasi, is gearing up to host multiple G20 events from April to August. With international delegates flocking the holy city, authorities are working to give the city a full facelift and ensure better security at the same time. Popular tourist destinations like Varanasi's ghats and boats are also getting cosmetic upgrades.

Varanasi is set to host a meeting of the working group on agriculture between the 17th and 19th of April.

Between April and August, the city is also slated to host a slew of other G20 events, including the engagement group meeting of the Youth-G20 Summit, the meeting of the working group on development, a ministerial level meeting and one of the working group on sustainable finance.

Visiting foreign dignitaries means heightened security preparations and a face lift.

Mutha Ashok Jain, Police Commissioner of Varanasi said, "Basic planning and preparation for G20 is already done. The deployment pattern has been put in place. The tentative locations have been cleared, ground work has been done. Training programs in soft skills for police officers are underway."

S Rajalingam, District Magistrate of Varanasi, said, "We are involving all stakeholders in the G20 preparations. G20 is an opportunity to showcase our rich culture and tradition. Multiple-level meetings are being held for the preparations. Beautification and improvement of infrastructure is also happening."

The beautification plan focuses on the routes the dignitaries will take, and the places they will visit. So the roads leading to and from the airport, the Hotel Taj, the Rudraksh International Convention Centre, the DDU Trade Facilitation Centre, and Namo Ghat are in for more than just a simple paint job.

The tourism industry is also gearing up for the events and hotels expect occupancy rates, which are already at 90 percent, to hit 100 percent in the coming months. As many as 32 new properties are expected to come up before the year ends and work on these are being fast-tracked to make the most of the surge in demand. But there is one big challenge.

Sandeep Patiyal, Head of Tourist Guild of Varanasi said, "At the moment, hotels are jam packed. We are declining booking because we cannot handle the influx of so many people coming in. The drop in skilled workforce in the tourism industry is a challenge right now."

Even the menus are getting a special make-over, in keeping with India's dreams of capitalising on 2023 being named the International Year of Millets.

Ahead of the G20 events, the hotel industry in Varanasi is showcasing its innovation through its millets menu. Hotels across Varanasi have a wide variety of appetising millets dishes like bajre ki khichdi and ragi ki litti chokhe.

Chef Rohit Joshi said, "Chefs from 11 hotels across UP, MP and Uttarakhand have curated around 45 special millet dishes. Unique international dishes like Risotto and Haleem made of millets are being served."

Popular tourist destinations like Varanasi's ghaats and its boats are also getting cosmetic upgrades. Registration of boats has been made mandatory and all boats have to comply with a colour-code.

For Varanasi, which is also Prime Minister Modi's constituency, the G20 events are more than just a slew of meetings. They're an opportunity to offer the G20 delegates and other guests a glimpse of India's rich cultural heritage, and unique experiences.