Shivling-shaped fountains have been installed in New Delhi in preparation for the G20 summit.

The PWD is putting the finishing touches to a makeover of arterial stretches such as the airport road from Dhaula Kuan, NSG junction to Ulan Batar Road, Air Force Station, Pragati Maidan, Ring Road, and other key stretches connecting with the G20 venue – Bharat Mandapam at Pragati Maidan, the venue where the G20 summit is scheduled to take place.

“The statues have been made in different parts of the country, such as the ‘Shivling fountains’ from Odisha and some statues from Rajasthan. The heads of 40 countries are expected at Palam Airport. They will travel through this stretch from the technical area towards the Hanuman Mandir Junction and NSG crossing. The statues will make a good impression and depict Indian culture,” The Indian Express has quoted a senior PWD official as saying.

As per the report, 49 themed sculptures, animal statues, Shivlings, and 6-16 feet tall statues have been installed on around ten stretches. 40 statues have been installed on the airport road. The airport stretch also has an array of fountains such as volcano fountains, nozzle-type fountains, horse fountains, large lion fountains, and jet fountains with focused lights, reflecting different colours and hues.

Six marble structures of 6-feet tall lions and three statues of women dancing have come up at NSG Junction, two sandstone elephants at Mehram Nagar, a 6-feet apsara sculpture at Hanuman Mandir junction in the technical area of the Palam Airport, and a 13-feet tall black marble lion statue has been installed on Ulan Batar road.

New Delhi is set to host the G20 summit on September 9-10. Heads of countries including US President Joe Biden and Chinese President XI Jinping are expected to visit New Delhi to participate in the summit.