G20 infra summit: Yoga retreat to Ganga aarti, Rishikesh gets a makeover

From Dinner Gala to Ganga Aarti, and a visit to a 'model town, Rishikesh is setting the tone for the last G20 meet in the state

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Ouni, a village with just over 100 families and located 3 km from the highway connecting Rishikesh to Narendranagar, didn’t have street lamps till a few months ago. Now, the villagers are preparing for something that most of them had not thought of before — a visit by G20 delegates. 

“Two months back, we didn’t have a proper road. Now, this is the second time in a month that people from across the world are coming to tour our village. We don’t know if this summit (G20) will be useful but this has surely benefitted us,” said Saradha, a resident of the village, 14 km from Narendranagar, where the third G20 Infrastructure Working Group (IWG) meeting beginning Monday.

Even as the delegates started arriving in the state on Saturday morning, work was in full flow in the state that was hosting the last of its three G20 meetings. At the Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun, the walls inside and outside have been decked up to welcome the guests.

The roads leading to Rishikesh and Narendranagar have also been propped up. The Mussoorie Dehradun Development Authority had started the beautification of the Laxman Jhula area and roads and railings were reworked to showcase the state’s culture.

A number of events were lined up for the delegates, with the venue being dotted with murals and recreation of local paintings and architecture. A performance showcasing the culture of Uttarakhand by local artists was organised with Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami scheduled to be in attendance. This will be followed a gala dinner, featuring Garhwali cuisine.

The route to Triveni Ghat where the Ganga Aarti will be held has been renovated, with façade improvement, plantation on dividers, wall paintings, and vertical gardening being carried out at the ghat itself.

The guests are also slated to take part in a yoga session as part of the events lined up alongside the meeting, keeping in mind that Rishikesh is considered the ‘yoga capital of the world’. 

They are also scheduled to visit Ouni village, which has been given a massive facelift ahead of the meet. Revamped at a cost of ~10 crore, the village is being touted as a ‘modern village’. Nearly 40 solar street lights, two new transformers, and as many washrooms have been installed in the village. The delegates will be part of panchayat proceedings in the newly constructed panchayat house and have lunch in the village as well.

“Out of nowhere, Ouni has emerged as a tourist hub. Nearly 150-200 people are coming to visit the village every day. Even people in the state weren’t aware of this place. Not only this, people from states like Delhi, Haryana and Punjab are also visiting us. This has proved to be a big fillip for us,” a resident said.