Dear Editor,
Your article captioned ‘India battles to save scandal-hit Commonwealth Games’ (SN, September 23) describes accurately the problems associated with the games which are due to begin on Sunday. It would be a major accomplishment if the officials had the facilities ready for the games. Indeed, the organizers are running against the clock. The Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and the Chief Minister, Sheila Dixit, of Delhi State are personally supervising the last phases of work and the cleaning up, because the reputation of India to host major events is on the line. The city opened a spanking brand new airport that is among the best I have seen anywhere in the world, making it the talk of every visitor in Delhi. A first-class Olympic village and first-class games will further boost the image of modern India.
I was in Montego Bay in 2003 cheering when India won the bid for the games at the Half Moon Resort; Kapil Dev, Sunil Gavaskar and other well-known Indian figures were on hand to lobby for India. Indian officials presented a positive image in Montego Bay and subsequently at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne in 2006 that it could hold major olympics.
Bollywood star Aishwarya Rai dazzled the spectators at the closing ceremony in Melbourne giving a glimpse of what was in store for guests who came to the games in Delhi. Now, the entire country feels embarrassed because of the delayed schedule in construction around the city and the negative press the country is getting. Some US$54 billion was committed to sprucing up the city with new infrastructure and an additional US$2 billion for the games itself. But people everywhere told me they have not gotten their money’s worth. The officials waited for the last minute to get things done.
When I was in New Delhi in late August, I visited a few of the sporting venues and thought it would be a miracle if the facilities were completed on time. The contractors faced many challenges as work was behind schedule and they were demanding more funds. Streets were dug up everywhere and it rained almost every day with vast sections of the city flooded. Every day, the newspapers exposed various shortcomings and slipshod work as well as the corruption associated with the construction and preparation of the facilities.
India’s image was taking a battering in the Indian press as corruption and delayed schedules were being exposed. The New York Times also had a field day in its coverage of the preparations for the games. But construction work was going on around the clock to finish the subways, major roadways, sewers, the main stadiums, etc. I am surprised that the media is now reporting that most of the work is nearly complete. Last week, the coordinators of the delegations of the big countries like Canada, Australia, New Zealand, England, Scotland, South Africa, etc, were complaining about the facilities saying the village apartments were not fit for habitation. This week, they are offering compliments for the pace at which the clean-up was undertaken at the Games Village. The Chairman of the games is saying that nearly all the facilities will be ready by Sunday. I still have my doubts, but Indians are known to get things done at the last minute and I hope they finish the preparations in a timely fashion and that we will have wonderful games comparable to Australia or the last Olympics in Beijing.
Yours faithfully,
Vishnu Bisram
