Commonwealth Games 2010 New Delhi: Stadia and accommodation ready on time, claims Kalmadi

The Organising Committee of the Commonwealth Games (OCCG) has announced that the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi will be held “as scheduled” amidst doubts being raised by the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF).

Suresh Kalmadi, chairman of the OCCG, declared that “we will hold the best Commonwealth Games ever” and that “nobody should have doubts over that.”

Preparations for stadia and accommodation for the athletes in New Delhi are two of the major issues which many are doubtful about even now.

Randhir Singh, vice-chairman of the OCCG, also said the Games would be held as scheduled in New Delhi in October 2010, but added that the Organising Committee “needed to be decentralised with sub-committees being given more powers to function.” It may be noted that, of late, there have been differences of opinion between Suresh Kalmadi and Randhir Singh on conducting the Games.

Michael Fennell, president of the Commonwealth Games Federation, had recently criticised the Organising Committee and had sought an “urgent meeting” with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to “salvage” the Commonwealth Games. On the negative comments made by Michael Fennell, Suresh Kalmadi remarked that “we respect his views.” However, Randhir Singh, in a confidential communication, described Fennell’s criticism as “a wake-up call” for the Organising Committee. Officials of the Organising Committee also allayed fears that the stadia might not be completed on time.

Lalit K Bhanot, secretary-general of the OCCG, explained that there are “no slippages at all,” that “every stadium in Delhi is being readied according to schedule” and that none of the test events has been put off.

According to Bhanot, it would be unwise to buy equipment so early since storage would be a problem. He promised that “everything will be in place” a few months before Commonwealth Games 2010 opens.

Suresh Kalmadi went on to say that, just as the 1982 Asian Games brought in colour television to India, the 2010 Commonwealth Games will mark the arrival of high-definition TV in the country.

Security, which is a matter of serious concern to overseas delegates, will be “foolproof.” Tejendra Khanna, Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, is monitoring the security procedure, Kalmadi added.

The Union Home Secretary had, earlier in September, briefed the heads of missions of Commonwealth Games Federation’s member-countries on security. A full-fledged meeting of security commanders will be held in New Delhi on September 23 and 24 to discuss further the security arrangements for the Games.

Kalmadi said an Australia-based security agency was visiting Delhi once every two months, adding that the ultimate responsibility for security was with the Union Home Ministry.

Meanwhile, a review conducted by the Union Ministry of Tourism showed that there would be a shortage of hotel rooms in Delhi during the Commonwealth Games.

According to the review, only 3,952 out of the 9,500 ‘confirmed’ hotel rooms – just 41% – are at present ready, with hardly 6 months to go for the March 2010 deadline to expire.

What is more, out of the 2,194 ‘likely’ rooms expected to be readied in time for the October 2010 Games, only 50% will be ready, the review by the Union Ministry of Tourism revealed.

While the ‘’confirmed’ rooms are those rooms certain to be in place in time for the Games, the ‘likely’ rooms are those rooms “expected to be ready.”  Hence, as of now, there is a shortage of about 6,500 rooms.

March 2010 had been fixed as the deadline for the completion of the rooms in order to give time for guests to make bookings and related activities.

The Ministry of Tourism said that it had estimated a demand for 40,000 rooms. Out of this, 10,150 rooms are already available, with plans to build about 10,000 more rooms. For the rest, guesthouses and other buildings will be used.

Last year, it was said that homestays would be an accommodation option for tourists visiting New Delhi during Commonwealth Games 2010, however, there is no update on the same.