G20 over, ITPO plans trade fair

Following the successful conclusion of the G20 Summit at the redeveloped Pragati Maidan, the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO), which oversees the complex, has set the ball rolling for its flagship event the annual India International Trade Fair, officials overseeing the event said.

- Paras Singh

This year's exposition, scheduled for November 14-27, is set to be the biggest ever trade fair Delhi has ever hosted, the officials said, adding that drawing from the G20 Summit, its theme will be "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam United by Trade".

Pradeep Singh Kharola, ITPO chairman and managing director, said, "This will be the largest trade fair Delhi has ever hosted. We plan to use all 14 exhibition halls along with the open area and the convention centre area as well. The trade fair will be held in its full glory." Krishan Kumar, the deputy general manager overseeing the trade fair, said this is the first time that all 14 halls of the complex will be occupied.

"This year's fair will be held over an area of more than 120,000sqm, while last year's event was held across 73,000 sqm." Kumar said during the fair, food streets will be set up in open areas. "We will have more than 30 state cuisines... The number of government departments will go up from 53 to 70. We are already getting requests from countries like Qatar for international delegations," he said.

Another official overseeing the preparations for the trade fair said registrations for the event started on September 15. "With the availability of more space, we will have dedicated food zones. Each state will be provided with separate space over the 20,000 sqm open space. We will also be setting up SAARC countries' food zone in this open area," the official said, declining to be named.

ITPO also expects to surpass the previous footfall record of 1.8 million people, set in 2015, the official said.