As Delhi woke up to rainfall on Sunday, the Centre snubbed allegations that the G20 Leaders’ Summit venue, Bharat Mandapam at Pragati Maidan, was flooded or acutely affected and has called out the claims as “exaggerated and misleading”.
Members of the Opposition, including Congress and Trinamool Congress, alleged the venue of the multi-national summit was “flooded and water logged” in the aftermath of heavy downpours in Delhi during the early hours of Sunday.
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Now, the Press Information Bureau (PIB) has refuted these allegations. It said the claim is “exaggerated and misleading”.
The bureau further said that “minor waterlogging in the open area was swiftly cleared as pumps were pressed into action after overnight rains”.
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The bureau was replying to a post by Trinamool MP Saket Gokhale who tweeted a video alleging bad infrastructure at Bharat Mandapam, the venue of the G20 Summit, after water accumulated at one of the corridors following rain.
“… After spending ₹ 4,000 crore, this is the state of infrastructure,” Gokhale had tweeted.
The Congress party also shared the video.
“Hollow development exposed. Bharat Mandapam was prepared for G20. Rs 2,700 crore was spent. It was lost in one rain…” the Congress said in the post.
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Earlier today, marking the ceremonial transfer of the G20 presidency, Prime Minister Narendra Modi handed over the gavel to Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who praised India for giving voice to topics of interests of emerging economies.