The countdown to the Commonwealth Games 2010 has begun. But though it is less than a year to go before the sporting event kicks off, Delhi, the hosting city, is not yet ready.
Everyone, from Michael Fennell, the president of the Commonwealth Games Federation, to prime minister Manmohan Singh, is concerned as the city remains dug up because of incomplete infrastructure projects and half-ready sporting venues.
Pride and money are at stake as the Games come 28 years after the country hosted the last major international sporting event — the 1982 Asiad. But many fear India’s coming-of-age party may be pooped.
“It would be fair to say that the organising committee does need to support its operations by sourcing highly skilled Games experienced personnel across a number of functional areas,” Mike Fennell, president, Commonwealth Games Federation, told DNA as he got ready for another trip to India, this time to convey his worries over the preparations to the prime minister.
A last minute scramble is visible. At the Games Village, the number of construction workers has swelled from 2,000 a few months ago to 8,000. They work for Rs120 a day and in abysmal conditions which pose health risks.
The underbelly of Delhi’s preparations for the 2010 Games is not limited to that. Since the sporting facilities are not yet ready, the country’s participants risk not getting enough practice. While the athletes are forced to jog on roads and not turfs, shooters have to practise in imperfect ranges.
“The advantage that our shooters should be enjoying is lost since their venue isn’t yet ready,” said Baljit Singh Sethi, secretary, National Rifle Association. “I don’t think we will get enough home advantage.”
