Delhi Lagging Behind but Haryana ready with 50% rooms for Games

There is an ear soothing news for Delhi government and the organizing committee of 2010 commonwealth games, which is worried about the accommodation for the millions of tourists who are likely to visit New Delhi next year.

Tourism secretary of India Sujit Banerji on Thursday claimed over 50% of 8793 rooms that Haryana promised for the Commonwealth Games were ready. He announced this while inaugurating a hotel in Sector 29.

Banerjee said a task force under his chairmanship has been reviewing the progress regarding creation of hotel accommodation in the area around Delhi. ‘‘Haryana is providing a major chunk of hotel accommodation for the Commonwealth Games and the efforts being made by the Haryana government in this direction have been commended by the central government,’’ Banerjee said.

Banerjee said as per latest position in Haryana, 6632 rooms were in the definite category and 2161 rooms were in the likely and doubtful category. ‘‘While 3814 rooms are already functional, 410 rooms are likely to be made functional shortly. For the remaining rooms, the progress is being closely monitored so that they are also completed at the earliest,’’ he added.

Haryana officials said the state government has allotted 101 sites for construction of these rooms.

HDTV Floods Indian Market in Purview Of 2010 CWG

Nearly five years after High-Definition (HD) televisions flooded the Indian market, viewers are finally set to get a taste of high-definition television viewing . This, as HD-enabled MPEG 4 set-top boxes that enable HD content to play on these televisions, were so far absent in the Indian market.

The Tamilnadu based DTH player, Sun Direct, which claims to be the second largest DTH player in the country with an active subscriber base of 3.1 million, has altered the scenario. By launching Sun Direct HD, the player, which will continue to offer its non-HD DTH services, has become the first service provider in India to offer high-definition viewing television services.

The less than two-year old company, which has so far incurred ‘expected’ cumulative annual losses of Rs. 450 crore and is looking to break-even in the next four to five years, is banking on the niche HD service as one of the offerings that will help in achieving its target of three million additional customers in FY 2009-’10.

Though Tony D’Silva, COO, Sun Direct, admitted at a press conference held in Mumbai that the penetration of DTH is higher and semi-rural and rural areas where cable network faces several hindrances as compared to metros like Mumbai and Delhi, he added that target clients belonged to Segment A and B in metros and big cities.

Justifying the decision to offer HD-enabled MPEG 4 set-top boxes imported from Samsung to the viewers at a cost of Rs 10,000, D’Silva said, “The HD-viewing experience is definitely a niche offering. With LCD sales set to touch the 1.5 million mark this financial year, we are looking at capturing 20 per cent of these LCD owners for our subscriber base. As for the next financial year, the government’s decision to offer a HD broadcast of the 2010 Commonwealth Games should popularise the format to a great extent.

Also, as we have seen in the past, LCD televisions as well as the HD set-top box are bound to see a fall in prices, thus attracting more customers. As for the monthly fees, it is an affordable Rs 100, available as an addition to our basic packs.”

For those new to the term, high-definition viewing typically refers to five times sharper picture quality; a more effective, CD-like sound quality in the form of 5.1 channel Dolby and a 16:9 aspect ratio that allows for wide-angle viewing and thus makes the viewer’s more ‘real’.

However, contrary to the belief of most anticipating it would be adventure and lifestyle channels as well as news channels that would make for initial HD content in India, it will be Tamil and Telugu movie channels, one each, that will serve as the first HD broadcasters in India.

Elaborating on the content plan, D’Silva said, “We are looking at launching the Sun Direct HD in two phases that will be spread out across the ongoing financial year. In the first phase, we will be able to launch four channels without increasing our transponder capacity.

These four channels include two movie channels, one each in Tamil and Telugu, offering HD-compatible films from SUN TV’s library to kick-start operations. In fact, we plan to add four new movies every month to this already well-stocked library.” Not a surprising strategy when 85 per cent of the DTH player’s clientele are viewers in South India.

However, having started its pan-India roll-out in September last year, it has also entered into an agreement with the National Geographic Channel (NGC) for bringing one of its HD channels onto the platform. Though the NGC is in the process of acquiring a license for facilitating HD broadcast for four of its channels – Nat Geo Wild, Nat Geo Music, Nat Geo Adventure and Nat Geo HD in India, limited transponder capacity will see Sun Direct HD going ahead with just one for its first phase.

A plan to develop a library for Hindi films shot on HD and subsequently initiating an exclusive channel for the same is on the anvil as well. But this is likely to take anywhere between three to six months, admitted V. Narayan, Head-Marketing, Sun Direct.

As for the second phase, for which the provider will have to get permission for increasing transponder capacity, a clear content strategy is yet to be derived upon. Perhaps, news channels like INX news, which have shifted to the HD format and channels like Star TV (which opted for HD for the latest version of Mahabharata), could make for potential choices.

Michael Skinner aiming for Commonwealth Games

Michael Skinner ended the year on a high as he helped Great Britain to a bronze medal in the European Cross Country Championships and is now setting his sights on the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

The 29-year-old, from West Wickham, finished 20th in the European Championships in Brussels last Sunday, helping Great Britain clinch a team bronze behind Spain and France. He was also joined by fellow Blackheath and Bromley athlete Scott Overall who finished 39th.

Skinner was delighted to pick up a medal after missing out last year when Great Britain finished fourth.

He said: “I was pleased with my performance but more importantly as a team we finished with a medal. I ran solidly - nothing out of my skin - but it is always rewarding to run for your country as part of a team.

“I am already looking to next year’s event. After missing out on a medal in fourth place for the last two years I hope we can go even better than bronze and bring back a silver medal.”

Skinner hopes to focus on his track career in 2009 as he aims to make the England 5K team for the 2010 Commonwealth Games at Delhi in India.

He added: “I don’t what to tie myself down to cross country and I hope to get back on the track in the New Year.

“Obviously there is the World Championships coming up in August next year and I would love to be a part of that. It would be a big step for to get involved in that.

“I have just changed my coach and things are going well and my target at the moment is to be named in the team for Commonwealth Games in 2010.”

Power Arrangement Plans for Commonwealth Games 2010

Providing uninterrupted power supply for a mega event like upcoming Commonwealth Games 2010 may seem like a daunting task, but Delhi Transco Limited (DTL), IGPCL and PPCL are all set to meet the challenge.

According to estimated about 7000 MW of power will be required during that period.We have arranged for more than 1000 MW of power which puts us in a comfortable position Assures Rajendra Kumar , Chairman and Managing director , Delhi Transco Limited and chairman Indraprastha power Generation company limited

New projects planned in Delhi to meet the power demand of Delhi during commonwealth games


1. Setting up of 1500 MW gas based combined cycle power project at Bawana by 2010.

2. Setting up of 1500 MW Aravali Super thermal power plant at Jhajjar, Haryana as a joint venture with NTPC Limited GNCTD and HPGCL with equity contribution in the ratio of 50:25:25.The power will be shared equally between Delhi and Haryana and project is to be commissioned by 2010

3. Setting up of 750 MW gas based station at Bamnauli by October 2011

4. 90 MW project is to be commissioned by NDPL

British Help for 2010 Commonwealth Games

Britain is looking forward to share its experiences with India, and wishes to work together to help deliver a memorable Commonwealth Games in Delhi in 2010.

A business delegation, supported by United Kingdom Trade and Investment,visited India that includes companies that have been involved in organizing the Commonwealth Games in Manchester in 2002,visited India recently.

They represent companies that are experts in insurance for major sporting events, transport systems, crowd and VIP security, catering and hospitality, volunteering and sponsorship, temporary stadiums and post-event stadium use, and legacy and regeneration.

British and the Indian governments are working closely to draw a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on sports.

The British companies on this delegation represented the best in British expertise in the sporting field. which not only can design world-class facilities, they can help with the professional expertise necessary to make a modern sporting event flourish.

Low-floor buses to Operate between Delhi and Noida by 2010 Games

According to Noida Authority officials, around 40 low-floor buses will ply on Noida-Delhi routes before the Commonwealth Games 2010.Of these, 20 will ply from the Delhi Transport Corporation’s Noida depot along with another 20 buses of the Noida Authority.

The DTC is expected to sanction the buses for the Noida depot in Sector-32 soon. Semi-low floor buses will also be sanctioned for the suburb once the process of modernization is completed.

The Commonwealth Games is expected to attract a lot of visitors to Noida and Greater Noida, which will also host some of the events, apart from visitors.

The Authority plans to have many world-class hotels in place before the Games. The DTC, officials said, has that in mind, and plans to introduce many new standard buses on the city’s roads soon.

Meanwhile, sources in the Noida Authority said the officials are mooting a proposal to buy similar buses which will run on city routes. The proposals are expected to come up in a few months and the plan, if approved, will be implemented before the Commonwealth Games.

There are close to 200 buses running between Noida and Delhi on 15 routes, and 94 buses on various other routes from Delhi Transport Corporation’s Noida depot , which has 115 buses in all.

Developing new Infrastructure for Commonwealth Games

The upcoming event of this sort schedules to be held in the year October,2010 in New Delhi. Capital Delhi with its ancient, medieval and modern flavor will be in the center of the world’s attraction as the city is going to stage some of the exciting game of events in the Commonwealth Games from October 03 to Oct14, 2010. This will be the third biggest event hosted in Delhi after the 1951 and 1982 Asian Games.
For the same purpose and making the event a great history ,Government pumping in money for Commonwealth Games 2010
The government of Delhi and Government of India both ,is pumping in a lot of money for developing infrastructure and basic amenities for the proper functioning of the event.
A lot of resources is being spent over roads,power,parking and other related facilities.
New Delhi is a business and political hub for India. This is what it is famous for, in and outside India. New Delhi has to prove and present itself as a city which is a sports hub too apart from being just what it is originally known as.