Commonwealth Games: Delhi’s frailties exposed with drawbridge collapse
The Commonwealth Games have brought more misery than joy to the people of India as the biggest sporting event in the country in the last two decades is finding itself overshadowed by poor preparation and mismanagement with barely
two weeks to go before the Games start.
Additionally, poor budgeting and cost management has led to these Games being the most expensive Commonwealth Games ever held.
A major concern is the non-readiness of the accommodation facilities for the athletes who are set to converge from all over the world; a total of 54 countries are being represented at this global event.
With concerns over accommodation rife, New Zealand's Dave Currie expressed his dismay at the lack of internet and cell phone coverage alongside below par sanitary and hygienic facilities at athletes’ village.
"I think it is disappointing...We are only 12 days away from the opening ceremony and the village is delayed as it is...We are impressed with the dining hall and the recreation zones around the village. They are very impressive.
But the residential areas are as significantly behind and a real concern."
While the organisers complained that bad weather was the cause for the delay in the proceedings they found little support from Currie who claimed that the concerned authorities should have kept provision of natural delays.
"If they (organisers) look back now, they would hope that they had finished the construction before the monsoons started. I think that the Organising Committee had seven years from when they were given the Games until they hold
them, and I think they should have used that time wisely.”
Despite the scathing attack, Currie reassured the organisers that New Zealand had no intention of pulling out of the event. Yet he hoped that the problems that have beset the games would be tackled quickly and appropriately.
Another cause of concern for the organisers is the volatile security situation in the City. Alarm bells were raised when armed men ambushed a tourist bus outside the Delhi Jamia Mosque.
As a result, two Taiwanese tourists suffered bullet injuries. However the New Zealand contingent is happy with security measures.
On the other hand, the Indian officials brushed aside the concerns saying that this was the way things worked in their country, and generally like a traditional Indian wedding things come together at the last minute
Meanwhile, eighty-nine days after entering the country through the Wagah border check post, the Queen's Baton finally reached one of the most revered tourist spots in the country; the Taj Mahal in Agra City.
"The Commonwealth Games were allotted to India, so the countries which voted for India, they had a feeling of coming to Taj Mahal, the tourists wanted to come and the officials as well”, claimed Anandeshwar Pandey who is the Secretary
General of the Uttar Pradesh Olympic Association.
The traditional baton was originally set to cover as many as 28 states in the country before reaching the venue of the Games, New Delhi, a day before the scheduled start.
The Queen's Baton Relay symbolizes the unity and shared ideals of the Commonwealth of Nations. The baton carries a message from the head of the Commonwealth of Nations - Queen Elizabeth II. The message is set to be read out at
the opening ceremony which will be attended by Prince Charles.
By the time it arrives in New Delhi the baton would have covered over 20,000 km in 340 days, making it one of the longest relays in the history of the Games.
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