Central Bank of India Official Banking Partner for 2010 CWG

Central Bank of India, one of the country's leading nationalized banks, has become the 'Official Banking Partner' for the Organizing Committee Commonwealth Games 2010.

They have now joined Air India, NTPC and Hero Honda in the Delhi 2010 Games family as its partner. Organizing Committee CWG Chairman Suresh Kalmadi and Central Bank of India Chairman and Managing Director S Sridhar today signed a Memorandum of Understanding to this effect at the CWG headquarters here.

"The year of the Games has dawned and I am pleased to welcome India's first 'Swadeshi Bank' as our official partner in India," Kalmadi said after the signing ceremony.

"The bank's network in India would be used for sale of tickets and merchandise in the run up to and during the Games that start on October 3. All its 3,500 branches would be authorized to sell (tickets and merchandise).

"The bank can use intellectual property of the Organizing committee and all bank accounts should be opened with the Central Bank. The bank will have one of its branches in CWG headquarters," Kalmadi said.

Sridhar said that in last few months the bank has achieved several firsts and "this is for the first time that we have become official partner of any games and that too of Commonwealth Games, it's a big thing."

"We will continue to maintain our wonderful track record of delivering high quality service," Sridhar added.

Delhi Fire Service to provide in-built fire safety for CWG Venues

The Delhi fire service is focusing on in-built arrangements as fire safety measures during the nearly 12-day-long Commonwealth Games later this year.

Plans have been approved by the department and recommendations given to authorities involved in construction of buildings and stadia, director of Delhi Fire Services R C Sharma said.

“The buildings stadia and residential accommodation which are coming up for the Commonwealth Games has to be provided with inbuilt fire safety arrangements. Plans have been approved by the Delhi Fire Service and recommendations have been given to DDA, PWD, MCD and all the authorities concerned,” said Sharma. The fire department, which has also come out with its disaster management plan for the Games, says these arrangements will be done by the authorities themselves but “checked and inspected” by the Fire Service.

“However, we have not issued any deadline for that,” Sharma said. The in-built arrangements include availability of hydrant, internal fire fighting system, wet-riser, fire extinguisher, exit signs besides standby generators.

Is meeting deadline responsible for ILS glitch

The glitch in the runway visual range (RVR) component of the instrument landing system (ILS) which guides flight path during landing in dense fog may have developed due to a last-minute mad rush to meet Commonwealth Games deadline.

Preliminary probe into the major safety lapse has shockingly revealed that the Met department had on December 23 or 24 written to the airport management to rectify the cable problem that had rendered the ILS unusable. However, no heed was paid to this as the airport management was too busy chasing the completion deadline for the upcoming integrated terminal III (T3).

‘‘Work on T3 suffered earlier due to paucity of funds which was later raised by levying steep user development fees on outbound passengers. Now there is a rush to meet the deadline but in an operational airport, safety issues should get priority over everything else,’’ said a senior official probing the fiasco.

While work is now on at a frantic pace to rectify the problem in both the new and main runways, the erring service provider could face harsh punishment under newly revised Aircraft rules.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issues licenses to agencies like Met department, Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL and AAI for providing essential aviation services.

About two months ago, four levels of punishments were introduced that included Rs 10 lakh fine and/or up to two years imprisonment, Rs 5 lakh fine and/or a year’s jail, Rs 2 lakh and/or six month’s jail and Rs 1 lakh and/or three month’s incarceration.

DGCA is likely to take a call on which service providers are guilty of deficiency of service and what level of punishment they should get. Although it’s the first lapse on part of the service provider and should invite a lower level of punishment, the severity of the lapse will also play a role in deciding the penalty.

DGCA has decided to subject all airport operators, private or AAI run and ATC services to intense scrutiny to ensure 100% compliance with all regulations. Top government sources said that a notice is likely to be issued to DIAL to explain the lapse in restoring the cable that enables aircraft movement during fog. What has irked the regulator especially is the fact that some key people supposed to be responsible for running the place were on vacation when all hell broke loose there on Saturday and it was left to South African Andrew Harrison, chief operating officer, to oversee the salvage operation on DIAL’s part.

Fate Happy on Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg; proposed to get a facelift

Work for re-development of historic Ferozeshah Kotla and Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg in the Capital to de-congest parking in the area and improve landscaping is all set to take off now in the New Year with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi approving the award of work to the contractor.

The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), which had signed a memorandum of understanding with the MCD for the project, has assured the civic agency that work would be completed before June this year well in time for the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Delhi.

Apart from re-development of Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg and Ferozeshah Kotla, the project also includes refurbishing of the road between Delhi Gate and Darya Ganj. The civic body also plans to develop a heritage corridor starting from Coronation Park in North Delhi to Qutub Minar in South Delhi that would include prominent heritage sites such as Ferozeshah Kotla, Khooni Darwaza and Delhi Gate. The famous Shankar’s International Dolls Museum and Shaheed Park are other important locations which fall on the stretch and would be re-developed.

The MCD had initially planned to build up a multi-level underground parking lot at Shaheed Park. However, because of huge parking requirements in the area the parking site has been shifted to the Parade Ground in Chandni Chowk. This lot would provide parking space for 663 cars and would be built at a cost of Rs.52 crore.

The civic body will also carry out extensive landscaping of the area. Shaheed Park will be developed to provide a clear view of the ancient Ferozeshah Kotla fort.

It will also improve and standardise the signs on Delhi’s roads before the 2010 Commonwealth Games as well as improve the roadside landscaping.

A plan is also being worked out to de-congest the area around the Dolls Museum under the project. “We want to make the Dolls Museum more accessible. A parking lot at Manak Bhavan across the road will reduce the vehicle load in the Press Area. It will also make the Dolls Museum more popular,” said a civic body official.

“Since the proposal for refurbishing of the road between Delhi Gate and Darya Ganj involved changes in the traffic pattern, the area in front of Ferozeshah Kotla is proposed to be taken up in the first phase as it will involve minimum disturbance,” he added.

Fate Happy on Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg; proposed to get a facelift

Work for re-development of historic Ferozeshah Kotla and Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg in the Capital to de-congest parking in the area and improve landscaping is all set to take off now in the New Year with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi approving the award of work to the contractor.

The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), which had signed a memorandum of understanding with the MCD for the project, has assured the civic agency that work would be completed before June this year well in time for the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Delhi.

Apart from re-development of Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg and Ferozeshah Kotla, the project also includes refurbishing of the road between Delhi Gate and Darya Ganj. The civic body also plans to develop a heritage corridor starting from Coronation Park in North Delhi to Qutub Minar in South Delhi that would include prominent heritage sites such as Ferozeshah Kotla, Khooni Darwaza and Delhi Gate. The famous Shankar’s International Dolls Museum and Shaheed Park are other important locations which fall on the stretch and would be re-developed.

The MCD had initially planned to build up a multi-level underground parking lot at Shaheed Park. However, because of huge parking requirements in the area the parking site has been shifted to the Parade Ground in Chandni Chowk. This lot would provide parking space for 663 cars and would be built at a cost of Rs.52 crore.

The civic body will also carry out extensive landscaping of the area. Shaheed Park will be developed to provide a clear view of the ancient Ferozeshah Kotla fort.

It will also improve and standardise the signs on Delhi’s roads before the 2010 Commonwealth Games as well as improve the roadside landscaping.

A plan is also being worked out to de-congest the area around the Dolls Museum under the project. “We want to make the Dolls Museum more accessible. A parking lot at Manak Bhavan across the road will reduce the vehicle load in the Press Area. It will also make the Dolls Museum more popular,” said a civic body official.

“Since the proposal for refurbishing of the road between Delhi Gate and Darya Ganj involved changes in the traffic pattern, the area in front of Ferozeshah Kotla is proposed to be taken up in the first phase as it will involve minimum disturbance,” he added.

Delhiites are really barbaric; they need to learn some civic lessons

In yet another effort to instill civic sense among Delhi residents, civic authorities Friday announced launch of a new campaign asking people not to spit, pee on or litter the roads "at least for the sake of the Commonwealth Games".

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has created a number of interesting characters like "Mr. Su Su (pee) Kumar" and "Mr. Kuda (garbage) Kumar" to dissuade people from urinating on the roadside and throwing garbage here and there.

"Mr. Thu Thu (spitting) Kumar" embodies those who are accustomed to spitting on roads and in public places without bothering how it offends the sensibilities of other citizens.

"Mr. Poly Uncle and Mrs. Poly Aunty" represent those citizens who use polythene bags without any scruples. The final message says: "We hope; now onwards Delhi will have less number of Su Su Kumars, Thu Thu Kumars, Kuda Kumars, Poly Uncles and Aunties and more of enlightened citizens."

MCD spokesman Deep Mathur said they will shortly launch this multi-media advertisement campaign entitled "Let's get ready" to create civic awareness with regard to sanitation and good civic habits ahead of the 2010 Commonwealth Games to be held here Oct 3-14.

The advertisement says: "Hosting an international event like Commonwealth Games is a matter of pride for our country" and asks citizens: "Together, let’s get ready to welcome sports persons, delegates and sports lovers from various countries in a clean and green Delhi".

The advertisement campaign carries the message of Mahatma Gandhi: "Cleanliness is next to Godliness". The message points out: "Dilli Ke Beauty Hum Sab Ki Duty".

Advanced Traffic Monitoring System in Delhi before Games

For Delhi’s traffic management, the police is going hi-tech route. With the Commonwealth Games in October, Delhi Police is initiating a slew of modernization projects in 2010, with special emphasis on using state-of-the-art gadgets to enhance security and improve traffic management.

According to the plan, the police will install intelligent traffic system (ITS) on the routes that would be in use during the Commonwealth Games for effective monitoring of traffic. In the first phase, 87 roads covering about 210km of road length and 220 intersections will be covered. There are also plans to start e-challaning scheme.

The traffic police is also in the process of acquiring modern enforcement equipment
like hand-held radar runs with night vision facility, lux meters and driving simulators.

Before the Games, 58 important markets and 27 border checkpoints across the city will be secured with CCTV cameras. An integrated communication network (cyber highway) is being established for use in convergent services and a central command operations control room called C4i is being set up at the police headquarters for use during the Commonwealth Games and beyond. The C4i will be linked to all the staff on the ground and subsidiary bases on wireless sets, tetranet, mobile phones and landlines.

An automated fingerprint and palm identification system, the first for the country, will be installed at 135 police stations in the city to provide inkless scanning, paper data capturing, transmission and query of rolled finger and palm prints.

BIOMETRIC CARDS AT IGI

The process of issuing biometric identification cards for security reasons to all taxi drivers operating at IGI Airport kicked off on Saturday. Delhi Police commissioner YS Dadwal said the scheme will be extended to all taxi and auto drivers in the city before the Games. The IDs will ensure security of passengers hailing cabs and autos in the city that is expecting a huge influx of foreign and domestic tourists during the Commonwealth Games in October.

There are a total 2,557 taxi drivers at the airport, of which Delhi Police has verified antecedents of 2,260 drivers. ‘‘We are starting trial runs of the biometric IDs for taxi drivers at the airport and are in the process of extending this to all the 28,000 taxis and 55,000 autos in the city before the Games,’’ Dadwal said. The PSV badge-cum-biometric cards will be issued to drivers by the transport department after verification is carried out by the police.

Public Amenities to get facelift for Games

Public amenities at 10 heritage monuments in the capital will get a facelift ahead of the Commonwealth Games, as authorities spruce up the sites and prepare them for an influx of foreign tourists.

While new public toilets will be constructed at four complexes that are expected to be the biggest tourist hot spots, existing facilities at six others will be upgraded, a top ASI official said.

The new facilities will be maintained by the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO). The sites where new toilets will be constructed, in addition to repair of the existing ones, are the Qutub complex, Humayun’s Tomb, Red Ford and Purana Qila.

‘‘The places likely to see maximum tourists are our focus. Besides the four monuments, public toilets at six other places will be upgraded,’’ Delhi chief superintendent archaeologist K K Muhammad said.

600 members Australian team to visit India for 2010 CWG

In what would come as music to the ears of an embattled Organizing Committee, Australia is planning to send its largest-ever delegation of over 600 athletes and officials, including Olympic and world champions, for next year's Commonwealth Games in New Delhi.

"Australia is planning to send a full team of over 600 athletes, coaches, managers, medicos and officials. The team will be the largest ever to compete in an overseas Commonwealth Games campaign with the first round of team nominations including the provisional selection of eight track and field athletes, including world champions Steve Hooker and Dani Samuels," Australian Commonwealth Games Association (ACGA) said in a statement.

Pole vaulter Hooker is a gold medalist from the Beijing Olympics where he set an Olympic record of 6.06m. Samuels is the youngest ever female discus thrower to become a world champion.

ACGA CEO Perry Crosswhite said not a single athlete has raised any security concerns about traveling to India.

"To date the questions have been about the weather predictions and the sports venues, and, of course, what the food and the village are going to be like," he said.

Crosswhite also welcomed England's rebuttal of the media reports saying that English athletes would not be taking part in the event fearing terror strikes during the Games.

"I am very pleased to hear that England has confirmed that it will send a full team Delhi," Crosswhite said.

"Australia is looking forward to renewing the traditional England-Australia rivalry at the Indian hosted Commonwealth Games and I expect that the competition as to which nation will win the most medals will be closer than ever," he added.

Crosswhite said media reports which cast doubts on the Games' success without even quoting their sources should not be given much importance.

"It is indeed unfortunate that such prominence has been given to a media report, particularly as the source was unnamed.

"Having returned from Delhi several weeks ago where I received a substantial briefing on security measures both planned and in place for the Games, I believe that those responsible for Games security in Delhi are doing everything they can to ensure a successful Game," Crosswhite said.

To be held from October 3 to 14, the 2010 Commonwealth Games will have 19 sports on the program, making it the largest Games to date.

Thyagaraj Stadium to miss deadline for sure

After Central Public Works Department (CPWD), it is the turn of PWD to give assurances about finishing projects even as internal deadlines are getting extended.

The PWD’s flagship stadium, Thyagaraj, which was supposed to be ready by December, will now be ready only in February. The delay, said sources, was due to the late start in laying of the specialized wooden flooring at the stadium. The stadium’s eco-green features like the green power plant as well as the solar panels on its surface are the other reasons why the stadium is getting delayed, the sources said.

The delay comes even as PWD minister Rajkumar Chauhan visited the three Delhi government sporting facilities Thyagaraj, Chhatrasal and Ludlow Castle for inspection on Thursday. While Chauhan claimed that work was progressing on time, sources in the department said apart from Ludlow Castle, which was expected to be completed in January, the others would only be ready in February. Incidentally, both Ludlow and Chhatrasal are non-competition venues and will be used for training purposes only. Chuahan however, reiterated that all venues were on schedule, adding that Ludlow Castle would be ready within ‘‘two to three’’ weeks.

A senior government official said, ‘‘the major infrastructural work is over. Now, only the finishing touches are left, which is taking time. The present delay (at the Thyagaraj) happened because a lot of time was spent on awarding the work to the designated company for the maple wood flooring.’’

Thyagaraj, which will be hosting the Test event in March, is the competition venue for Netball. The stadium, which has been touted as the first green stadium in the country, will also be the first government building to use a gas-based turbine for its power needs. Apart from the green turbine it will be powered by PNG from IGL the stadium is also planning to use solar energy on a large scale. ‘‘The roof of the stadium is quite large: 107X185 meters. So around 1MW solar energy is generated every day. This energy will be used within the building,’’ the official said.