Lucknow and Varanasi among four UP cities to be spruced up for G20 events

Four cities in Uttar Pradesh will get a makeover ahead of events related to G20 meetings

Four cities in Uttar Pradesh, including Lucknow, will get a makeover ahead of events related to G20 meetings.

The municipal commissioners heading municipal corporations of Lucknow, Agra, Varanasi and chief executive officer of the Greater Noida Authority have been asked to start the preparations in advance.

Principal secretary of the urban development department, Amrit Abhijat said that the events and meetings are scheduled to take place between February 13 and 15 next year.

The cities will have to put up welcome gates at prominent places. Flower pots, vertical gardens, and wall paintings representing cultural and historical value of the city will also be lined up.

Lucknow, meanwhile, will be hosting two events -Global Investors Summit and G20 Summit - in February.

While various works to make the city smart are already underway, the five-kilometre heritage corridor from Kaiserbagh to Husainabad is also in for a revival.

The first step would be to illuminate eight historical monuments falling in the area with facade lighting by February next year.

"The move is designed to promote night tourism in the area," said an official of Lucknow Development Authority, which has sanctioned nearly Rs 30 crore for the project.

Eight monuments covered under the project are Bada Imambara, Chhota Imambara, Clock Tower, Naubat Khana, Rumi Darwaza, Sadat Ali Khan's tomb, Kothi Darshan Vilas and Kothi Gulistan-e-Iram.

The facade lighting in these heritage buildings was done eight years ago, but due to lack of maintenance, one third of the lights have been lying defunct for the past several months.

LDA officers said that this time the illumination will be greater and bigger.

"Earlier, 95 facade lights were installed around the monuments. However, this time we will put up a total 250 lights, both inside and outside the monuments," said Manoj Kumar, executive engineer, LDA.

LDA vice-chairperson Indramani Tripathi said tenders for various works have already been floated.

The night tourism project will not only help boost the city's economy, but also promote Avadhi culture.

--IANS

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