Underfire Organizers Present Brave Face

But Work Yet To Start At Two 2010 Commonwealth Games Venues

The organizers of the 2010 Commonwealth Games are clearly racing against time to get the venues ready for the mega event.

The members of the organizing committee (OC) on Tuesday claimed that barring the cycling velodrome, all venues will be ready by year end (Dec, 2009). However, with the Games just 18 months away, work is yet to start at two venues, including the one that will host archery.

After a meeting with different stakeholders at the Thyagraj sports complex, the venue for netball, OC vice chairman Randhir Singh told reporters that the venues for hockey and netball will be ready by September 30, 2009 and boxing by October 21, 2009.

"The other venues will be completed by December 31, 2009, except the cycling velodrome where the construction work started last month. It got delayed because the international cycling federation (UCI) wanted the indoor timber track fully air-conditioned. We had planned an open stadium" Singh said. The velodrome is expected to be completed by March 31, 2010.

He said that different stakeholders are working in tandem and there’s no confusion. "We have 22 committees to conduct the games. Everything is going in the right direction."

Reacting to the parliamentary standing committee’s report, tabled in the parliament on Tuesday, which has strictured the Delhi govt for running behind schedule, Singh said everything is on track. "We don’t see any problem happening."

Meanwhile, director general for the Games, V K Verma, said the organizers would engage 30,000 volunteers for the smooth conduct of the Games.

DEADLINES:

• National Stadium (hockey) - September 30, 2009
• Thyagraj Complex (netball) - September 30, 2009
• Talkatora Indoor Stadium (boxing) - October 31, 2009
• Other venues - December 31, 2009
• Games Village - March 1, 2010
• Work yet to start - Lawn balls and archery
• International events to test the venues - between February 2010 to June 2010
• Trial Games to test facilities - From August 1 to 12, 2010