The Rashtrapati Bhavan Museum and Amrit Udyan will remain closed to visitors from Friday to Sunday in view of security and logistical arrangements for the 18th BRICS Leaders’ Summit, officials said.
The Change of Guard Ceremony, scheduled to take place at the Forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan on Saturday, will also not be held, according to an official statement.
The temporary closure is aimed at facilitating the movement of BRICS delegates and reducing congestion in areas located close to the summit venue, amid heightened security arrangements in the national capital.
The Delhi Metro Museum at Supreme Court metro station will also remain closed for three days from Friday in view of the summit-related arrangements.
Meanwhile, the Delhi government had earlier declared a holiday for its offices on September 11. The Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions has also issued an official circular declaring a holiday for Central government offices in Delhi on the day.
Several changes have also been announced for court-related activities in view of traffic restrictions and security arrangements around Bharat Mandapam, where the BRICS Summit will be held.
The Delhi Traffic Police said the National Lok Adalat, originally scheduled for September 12, will now be held on October 10.
As subordinate courts will observe holidays on September 11 and 12, cases listed for those dates will be taken up on September 14, according to the traffic advisory.
The Traffic Police urged litigants to check the revised dates of their court cases and the Lok Adalat before leaving home and avoid unnecessary travel to areas that will remain under heightened security and traffic restrictions.
Ahead of the international summit, the Delhi Traffic Police have also been conducting rehearsals to test traffic management arrangements.
As part of the traffic management drills for events scheduled from September 11 to 13, diversions have been planned at 22 points, while traffic movement will be regulated on more than 35 roads.
During trial runs, restrictions and diversions were implemented between 10 am and 3 pm for a motorcade rehearsal ahead of the BRICS Business Forum and the 18th BRICS Leaders’ Summit.
With September 12 and 13 falling on Saturday and Sunday, traffic managers expect relatively lower regular traffic volumes over the weekend, although movement restrictions linked to VVIP convoys and summit-related activities will remain in place.
The Traffic Police have urged citizens as well as cab service providers to carefully go through the advisories issued for routes where movement is likely to be restricted during the summit.
Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Dinesh Kumar Gupta said advisories were being disseminated through multiple platforms, including the Delhi Police website, Facebook, X, Instagram and print media, to keep the public informed and minimise inconvenience.
“We have 22 diversion points in place, under which we will divert the traffic from designated points. We have also briefed our staff to guide people, wherever needed, regarding the diverted routes,” Gupta said.
India is hosting the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on September 12 and 13, with extensive security and traffic arrangements being put in place across the national capital for the arrival and movement of visiting leaders and delegations. (IANS)
