Fact Check: Image of slum covered with green sheets before G20 is not from Delhi

A photo of a slum covered with green sheets and colourful G20 posters is being widely shared on social media. Allegedly, this photo was recently shot in Delhi and showed how slums in the capital were concealed ahead of the G20 summit. The G20 summit in Delhi is scheduled for September 9 and 10.

A Twitter user shared this image and wrote, “Gujrat Model in Delhi,” along with hashtags for the G20 Summit. The archived version of this claim can be seen here.

India Today found that this image is neither from Delhi nor recent. It is from Mumbai and dates back to December 2022.

Our Probe

Using reverse search, we found this image in a Gujarati Mid Day report dated December 16, 2022. Here, it was credited to the Press Trust of India.

The report was about how green curtains were put up to conceal the view of Jogeshwari slums in northwest Mumbai on the Western Express Highway during a G20 meeting in the city.

The image in question was also used in a January 8 report by ABP News and June 7 report by the Deccan Herald. In these reports too, it was clearly mentioned that the image was from Mumbai. It is noteworthy that many G20 meetings were held in Mumbai.

The Press Information Bureau has also stated that this is an old image from Mumbai.

Green sheets have been put up in Delhi as well

According to a September 5 report by The Quint, certain Delhi slums have also been covered with green sheets ahead of the G20 Summit.

Demolitions ahead of G20

As per a report by Reuters, Kaushal Kishore, the junior minister for housing and urban affairs, said in Parliament that at least 49 demolition drives were conducted in the city between April 1 and July 27. "No house has been demolished to beautify the city for the G20 Summit," he said, however.

To sum up, an old photo from Mumbai is being falsely shared as a recent photo from Delhi.