As India takes over G20 presidency, 4 UP cities gear up to host multiple events

Lucknow, Nov 17: With Indonesian President Joko Widodo formally handing over the G20 presidency to India, Uttar Pradesh's Agra, Lucknow, Varanasi, and Noida are gearing up to host a slew of activities.

On December 1, India will formally take up the G20 chairmanship. According to insiders, Agra will host a two-day G20 conference on September 9 and 10, 2023, for which the local administration has already begun planning.

According to Agra administration sources, G20 delegates will be able to tour the Taj Mahal, Fort, Sikandra, Fatehpur Sikri, and the mausoleum of Mirza Zafar Khan, a lesser-known monument dedicated to Mirza Zafar Khan, a commander in the Mughal Empire.

The ASI has received a letter from the Ministry of External Affairs in relation to the planned visit of G20 representatives to certain monuments, with orders to ensure that the arrangements at these monuments are adequate. According to an ASI official, there are over 200 activities scheduled across the country during the G20 summit, with the cultural group meeting anticipated to take place in Agra.

Zafar Khan's mausoleum is now being restored to its former splendour, and a boundary wall being built around it, prompting conflict with the Agra Municipal Corporation, who removed the boundary wall on the grounds that it constituted an intrusion on municipal territory. In this case, the ASI has filed an FIR against the Agra Municipal Corporation.

According to Vishal Sharma, secretary of the Agra Tourism Welfare Chamber, the G20 conference would spotlight Agra and its monuments on the global arena, potentially bringing significant money to the city's tourist economy.

In another development related to Agra, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has chosen to make all eight sites in Agra, including the Taj Mahal, free of charge on November 19, to celebrate the start of World Heritage Week, according to archaeologist superintendent Rajkumar Patel.

"The ASI is commemorating World Heritage Week, as it does every year from November 19 to 25, and all ticketed monuments are free to view on Saturday," he said. On November 19, the ASI will host an event in Agra Fort's Diwan-e-Aam complex. The concluding ceremony will take place at Fatehpur Sikri's Panch Mahal complex. Throughout the week, there will be a cleaning campaign, sketching and painting competitions, and quiz shows.