A day after the foreign delegates left the capital, it is now clear that the Commonwealth Games’ venues for athletics, cycling, wrestling and hockey are the worst in terms of preparations and they need immediate technical supervision to meet the targets.
Senior members of the organising committee said that of the two shooting ranges coming up for the games, the big bore shooting arena which is being developed by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in the outskirts of the capital is behind schedule.
“All the venues came up for discussion. But these were the venues that were highlighted because there is a need for technical expertise, while marking tracks and laying the synthetic hockey ground. The cycling track would also need technical experts because we have to meet certain international standards that are recommended to us,” the official added.
“It can be done in no time but the process has to be done very carefully because there are chances of mistakes which might spoil the entire effort,” said a senior official of the
Organising Committee. The games are scheduled to begin from October 3 next year and more than 8,000 athletes are expected to take part in the international event.
Members said that the Commonwealth Games Federation had expressed that India should employ foreign experts who have organised similar games earlier also. “We have brought in experts with technical expertise and at present, there are more than 40 foreign experts that are working with us,” said the officer.
Apart from the games venues, the general assembly also decided to bring in international experts for village operations, press operations, transport, ticketing, accreditation, venue operations, spectator services, logistics and sports operations.
The concerns of the Commonwealth Games members are not without reason. The 52 roads routes that were supposed to be ready have not met the target and only 37 of them are ready.
