Futuristic makeover for Lutyens’ Delhi ahead of AI Summit 2026

New Delhi: Ahead of the India AI Impact Summit 2026, New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has launched a beautification, illumination and sanitation drive across Lutyens' Delhi to give the city a refreshed and futuristic look. As part of the initiative, over 5,000 decorative potted plants are being installed at prominent locations, with work scheduled for completion by Feb 12. NDMC vice-chairman Kuljeet Chahal said the horticulture push includes seasonal potted plants alongside existing roadside plantations, following a model similar to that used during the G20 Summit. Key areas include Connaught Place, Sardar Patel Marg, BKS Marg, C-Hexagon, Khan Market, Aurobindo Marg, Dilli Haat, Teen Murti Marg, Barakhamba Road, Sansad Marg and other major corridors. To enhance visual appeal, around 15 floral boards and colourful fountains are being set up at major roundabouts, while a Tulip Festival will be organised at Shanti Path lawns during the summit. NDMC's roads circle department is simultaneously upgrading infrastructure and safety. Advanced devices such as flexible urban delineators, solar raised pavement markers, anti-glare boards, linear delineation systems and speed arrester studs are being installed. Work on Ashoka Road and Parliament Street is complete, while installations at Mother Teresa Crescent are ongoing and expected to finish by Feb 12. Signage boards along 41 major roads are being repaired and upgraded, thermoplastic markings for pedestrian crossings and safety zones are being renewed, and around 400 road and distribution light poles are being branded with AI-themed visuals. To boost night-time aesthetics, about 300 decorative lights are being installed on trees along Sardar Patel Marg up to Central Park. Ten iconic buildings—including Palika Kendra, NDCC Phase-II, Connaught Place Inner Circle, Central Park Periphery, Palika Bazar, Charak Museum, Lok Nayak Bhawan and Chanakya Bhawan—will be illuminated. Chahal added that a comprehensive audit of all avenue roads is underway to ensure functional street lighting, and areas requiring tree pruning have been shared with the horticulture department for timely action. On the sanitation front, road- and circle-wise mapping has been completed, with nodal officers and staff deployed for round-the-clock monitoring. Around 25–30 porta cabins have been set up for workers, and a 24×7 control room at the Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) has been activated for real-time coordination and complaint redressal. NDMC is also strengthening waste management with multi-trip daily garbage lifting, night operations, 24×7 transfer stations and a strict zero-accumulation policy, deploying 180–200 sanitation workers nightly supported by mechanical road sweepers and surprise inspections by senior officers.