Parts of New Delhi deserted amid G-20 summit

By Diyar Guldogan

NEW DELHI (AA) - Government and commercial activities have come to a grinding halt in parts of New Delhi as heads of government and international organizations are arriving for a G-20 summit this weekend.

Police set up barriers and checkpoints at key locations housing the venue and hotels where delegates will be staying, ahead of the two-day summit which will start Saturday

All of New Delhi district has been designated a controlled zone-I from early Friday until midnight Sunday.

Police have urged residents to use metro services as much as possible due to the regulated traffic movement.

In addition to roads, also closed are stores, restaurants.

New Delhi, one of the most populated cities in the world, lapsed into silence following the closure and traffic restrictions. One can hardly hear the interminable din of honking on roads.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi sought forgiveness in late August from New Delhi residents for the inconvenience they might have to face because of the presence of world leaders, and asked for their help to make the summit a success, according to the local media.

"There will be a lot of inconvenience, I apologize for that in advance. These are our guests,” Modi was quoted in media reports. “Traffic rules will be changed, we will be stopped from going to several places but some things are necessary.”