Fears Over New Delhi's Commonwealth Games Preparedness

In what could bring huge embarrassment to India, key 2010 Commonwealth Games projects (including games venues, infrastructure for conducting the sports and major city upgrade plans) are running so much behind schedule that thereâs a real threat of New Delhiâs show-piece Games turning into a non-event.

India's Comptroller and Auditor General, which last month submitted an evaluation report to Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's Office and the Indian Sports Ministry, has observed that at least 13 of the 19 sporting venues, the work shortfall is between 25% and 50%. This means all these projects would either miss the deadline or compromise on quality in the haste to finish on time.

As a result of the slow pace of work, August's 2009 World Badminton Championships, which had been scheduled for New Delhi, had to be shifted to Hyderabad.

In addition, the Delhi government and some central agencies executing Games-related projects are believed to have officially shelved at least six infrastructure projects by delinking them from the Commonwealth Games.

According to Organising Committee joint Director General, Tribhuvan Shawkar Darbari, increases in construction costs such as steel, cement and labour have led to the increase in costs. Darbari explained that âdeadlines have to be maintained so the revalidation of the budget, the re-appropriation and so on, as a strategy, has been worked out."

The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) has criticized New Delhi's chaotic preparations and management problems, expressing concern that they have put the Commonwealth Games brand at "serious risk" and tarnished the image of the Federation after spectacular Games in Melbourne in 2006 and Manchester in 2002.

The 2010 Commonwealth Games are scheduled to be held in New Delhi between 3rd and 14th October 2010. This will be the largest multi-sport event conducted in India, which has previously hosted the Asian Games in 1951 and 1982. The opening ceremony is scheduled to take place at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Delhi.

This is the first time the Commonwealth Games will be held in India, which will be the third developing country (after Jamaica in 1966 and Malaysia in 1998) to host the event. 

16th September 2008 - INDIA TO BUILD WORLD’S LARGEST CRICKET STADIUM