As the country entered into 2010, the year of Games in Delhi, a debate started–whether India will be in the position to hold successful Commonwealth Games. Soon there were two groups—one of the super positive people who hold their heads in affirmation, and the second of the people who are very sure that Games can’t be held successfully. The uproar was not only due to the media reports of corruption after which the Central Vigillance Committee had to step in and take up investigation, but also due to major delays in the restoration work of the capital.
I would not say that the criticism of the Games is unnecessary. There HAVE BEEN cases of corruption which should be probed and indeed should not be overlooked. But at the same time, we should not see the media and the critics of the Games as unpatriotic people who are out to boo the country and its ability to organise an international event.
Neither am I someone like Mani Shankar Aiyar who will be happy to see the Games as a flop show and even claims to be out of the country during the Games.
All I want to ask those who have been criticising the media for its coverage of the preparation of Games and the critics for their comments, is — are they confident that the Games’ preparation is going as it should have been? Can they answer this honestly?
Let us see here what provokes the media and the critics and the general public to doubt the games preparations—
First and worst to mention are the corruption charges on the CWG Organising Committee. The main aids of CWGOC head Suresh Kalmadi were fired after corruption charges. The money of the exchequer, which was meant to be spent intelligently for the successful organizing of the Games, was allegedly well stuffed into the pockets of the Games. If the OC is not to be blamed then why the files of records are now going missing (Read this) and why are they trying to delay the probe by sitting on the CVC queries (Read this).
Next, the maintenance work of the stadiums or of the city by the civic agencies, especially NDMC was started late and was done in such a slow pace that at most of the places, it is STILL not complete. The main venue of the Games, Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, has just become ready and at most of the other fronts, the work is still going on (Read this). Is this how you plan to organise an international event? Why to kill the messenger for reporting the truth? The authorities should know for their General Knowledge how early Melbourne was ready to hold the event in 2006 and how they gave their players the advantage of playing at home ground.
The other stadium, Shivaji stadium, which was being built by New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) as a practice venue for athletes, who are expected to start arriving in Delhi from September 23, is now officially not going to make it to Games. It is out of the list of the stadiums altogether. Other than that, the work at the stadium, which now scheduled to be over by November, is causing numerous problems for the public. As the stadium road is the main way for the people coming through Connaught Place to go towards North Delhi, it is taken by thousands of commuters daily. But the badly dug up congested road is not in the shape to accommodate the vehicles. The big potholes are the real menace. The over-stretched Delhi monsoon has made things even worse. The recently renovated Shivaji terminal is also dug up to give space to the stadium, hence escalating the woes of the bus commuters. And now as the work has become uncontrollable for the NDMC, there is hardly any hope of things becoming better any time soon.
Most heart-breaking is to talk about the mess in Connaught Place. This blogger reported on July 26, 2009 the states of affairs of this posh market of New Delhi and promised that if the market will get a nice facelift, it will be reported here (Read this). But there is still a long wait for the opportunity. The work is still going on! With just a few weeks to the event, all that the NDMC officials have to say is that the work will be completed in just a few days more. Some of the subways, they claim, will not be able to make it and propose to just cover them up during the Games (Read this). What the public fails to understand is that after taking more than a year in the renovation work, all we have is “Work Under Progress” signs. The CWG Organising Committee even organised the Cyclathon event, touted as a trial of Games, in the CP rubble. They were not ashamed doing this, but we certainly are (Read this). At the least, should one not ask for the resignation of the NDMC head?
With having just a few weeks to CWG, there are calls by several people that we should forget the past and work towards the future for the successful Games. The players are saying that forget the preparations, we should concentrate on the number of medals that we can fetch. Even CWG brand ambassador badminton star Saina Nehwal had to retract on her statement that Delhi is not ready for Games. All that is fair. On the other side, I too believe that the controversy should not have been there altogether before the Games. Only if the authorities had done their jobs better.
Let’s become forward-looking. Let us hope that the entire let over work will be completed in the coming weeks. There are positive reports coming about the Games as well to uplift the mood. It is good to hear about the international-level shooting and swimming stadiums, which are allegedly better than what Melbourne and China had.
The rest of the dirty linen should be washed after the Games.
