Delhi 2010

[LuigiVercotti]

This is getting really really dire...

Delhi Games venues 'not yet certified'

Vincent Morello

September 2, 2010 - 8:19AM

AAP

India's failure to prove all Commonwealth Games venues and the athletes village are structurally sound and safe to use could jeopardise the event.

Just 14 days remain before athletes arrive in New Delhi but official reports of dodgy building practices and bogus building approvals still plague all 17 venues and other structures built for the Games.

Thousands of athletes from 71 commonwealth nations start to arrive from September 16 to take up residence in the village.

They will compete in New Delhi from October 3-14 but the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) has yet to receive confirmation the village or any of the venues are safe.

"We are 14 days away from people arriving," CGF chief executive Mike Hooper told AAP from Delhi.

"Without a building completion certificate, you can't use the buildings. It's pretty simple - you can't use the venues."

In late July, India's anti-corruption watchdog dropped a bombshell by citing suspected dodgy building practices at a number of Games' venues and accusations that construction firms have inflated their costs.

The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) inspected 15 roadway and sporting venues and found substandard concrete and steel works, and evidence that regulatory approvals had been forged.

"Clearly, we could see the alarm bells and question marks and that's why we've been pursuing this," Mr Hooper said.

The CGF responded, requiring the Indian government to provide building certificates by Aug 18 that confirm all of the venues are safe to operate.

India missed that deadline, promising it would provide all of the required documentation by Tuesday, August 31, but failed to do so.

Mr Hooper said he met with Organising Committee (OC) chairman Suresh Kalmadi on Wednesday and reiterated the importance of the CGF's request.

"After writing four or five times (to the OC), we're disappointed that we didn't receive it because that's what the government agencies gave a commitment to do," he said.

Mr Hooper said without the building certificates he is unable to allay any fears from countries participating in the Games.

"I think our members quite clearly want a reassurance that everything has met the proper building codes," he said.

"Can we show them that today? No."

Without the building certificates, the Games are in danger of not proceeding.

"Obviously, we can't have people using venues without appropriate clearances - fire, health, safety, etc," he said.

Perry Crosswhite, Australian Commonwealth Games Association (AGFA) chief executive, was awaiting word from Mr Hooper about building safety issue.

"That's an ongoing issue we've got," Mr Crosswhite told AAP.

"Knowing the Indians, they've probably got `em but they can't find them. Things always tend to be a little bit confused."

Mr Hooper said the Indian government expects to provide the requested documentation in several days.

When you have Mike Hooper saying the games may not proceed with 2 weeks to go before athletes arriving this isn't just a media beat up...this is a serious shite-storm that may see Delhi 2010 go down in history as the first CG/BEG to not go ahead due to host city incompetence.

Farce...pure and simple.

[LuigiVercotti]

At the risk of kicking a dog whilst it's down....

CWG security drills to be completed in a week

Yep...in a country which has seen terrorist actions from Maoist rebels, Kashmiri separatists, Sikh extremists etc etc and in 2008 had Mumbai undergo one of the most brazen and atrocious attacks on civilians since 9/11, the local security forces can't have their preparations finalised now and will only have at best a week. And tagged along with this....

US warns citizens of terror strike during CWG

Who knows how many Yanks would show an interest in the Delhi Games but there have also been travel advisories issued by the Malaysian and Australian governments.

'We expected better from AR Rahman!’

Must be pretty sad state of affairs for Delhi 2010 that even the local politicians want the anthem changed!

India seeks a Commonwealth Games miracle

Here's a telling set of stats:

On Wednesday, a Times of India poll reported that 76 percent of Delhi residents felt the estimated three-billion-dollar cost of the Games was unjustified, and 50 percent said preparations had severely disrupted their lives.

Edited September 2, 2010 by eusebius65

[micheal_warren]

I have a bad feeling about this two weeks out... With the construction venues still not certified this can only go bad. I really hope and want India to get their act together and be ready, but I am not hopeful!

[Rafa]

You can't have security drills done properly in a week.

South Africa had its venue and non-venue drills including aerial interceptions etc. done over 2 or more years.

If the venues are not certified I'm not sure they are allowed to even do security drills.

[Mainad]

This all paints a pretty depressing picture of how India views international sporting competitions.

If Indians were seriously enthusiatic for the kind of sports that make up international sporting events like the Olympics and the CWGs,then I just don't believe they would have ever permitted this rather pathetic state of affairs to have come about! But my impression is that the vast majority of Indians just have no interest in athletics,track or swimming etc.The only sport they seem to have any passion for is cricket!!

If the CWGs had been a purely cricket affair then I'm willing to bet that all the facilities and necessary preparations would have been finished on time and in good order as the public and the governmemt would have been follwing progress on it keenly.But as it isn't,they just don't care and,to a great extent,are actively hostile1 Hence this sad state of affairs!

I just wonder why New Delhi bothered to ask for the CWGs in the first place.Clearly some in the Indian government thought it a good move to boost their international sporting profile whilst others have shown consistent disinterest and even active hostility.The result is the appalling fiasco we are now faced with!

I'm been trying to keep my fingers crossed that somehow it will come out all right in the end and be a reasonably successful affair and I am still crossing my digits (just)!

But I'm afraid India can kiss goodbye to any aspirations they might have had for staging the Olympics in the forseeable future.But then again,until interest in sports other than cricket is stimulated amongst the Indian public...why the heck would they even want to??

[gdodds]

On the up side, the road cycling test event went well... oh wait, it didn't.

International cycling event touted as CWG trial flops

[micheal_warren]

This all paints a pretty depressing picture of how India views international sporting competitions.

If Indians were seriously enthusiatic for the kind of sports that make up international sporting events like the Olympics and the CWGs,then I just don't believe they would have ever permitted this rather pathetic state of affairs to have come about! But my impression is that the vast majority of Indians just have no interest in athletics,track or swimming etc.The only sport they seem to have any passion for is cricket!!

If the CWGs had been a purely cricket affair then I'm willing to bet that all the facilities and necessary preparations would have been finished on time and in good order as the public and the governmemt would have been follwing progress on it keenly.But as it isn't,they just don't care and,to a great extent,are actively hostile1 Hence this sad state of affairs!

I just wonder why New Delhi bothered to ask for the CWGs in the first place.Clearly some in the Indian government thought it a good move to boost their international sporting profile whilst others have shown consistent disinterest and even active hostility.The result is the appalling fiasco we are now faced with!

I'm been trying to keep my fingers crossed that somehow it will come out all right in the end and be a reasonably successful affair and I am still crossing my digits (just)!

But I'm afraid India can kiss goodbye to any aspirations they might have had for staging the Olympics in the forseeable future.But then again,until interest in sports other than cricket is stimulated amongst the Indian public...why the heck would they even want to??

I agree, India dont have a hope in hell of staging the Olympics any time soon. We dont even know if they will stage the Commonwealth games in a month!

[LuigiVercotti]

This all paints a pretty depressing picture of how India views international sporting competitions.

If Indians were seriously enthusiatic for the kind of sports that make up international sporting events like the Olympics and the CWGs,then I just don't believe they would have ever permitted this rather pathetic state of affairs to have come about! But my impression is that the vast majority of Indians just have no interest in athletics,track or swimming etc.The only sport they seem to have any passion for is cricket!!

If the CWGs had been a purely cricket affair then I'm willing to bet that all the facilities and necessary preparations would have been finished on time and in good order as the public and the governmemt would have been follwing progress on it keenly.But as it isn't,they just don't care and,to a great extent,are actively hostile1 Hence this sad state of affairs!

I just wonder why New Delhi bothered to ask for the CWGs in the first place.Clearly some in the Indian government thought it a good move to boost their international sporting profile whilst others have shown consistent disinterest and even active hostility.The result is the appalling fiasco we are now faced with!

I'm been trying to keep my fingers crossed that somehow it will come out all right in the end and be a reasonably successful affair and I am still crossing my digits (just)!

But I'm afraid India can kiss goodbye to any aspirations they might have had for staging the Olympics in the forseeable future.But then again,until interest in sports other than cricket is stimulated amongst the Indian public...why the heck would they even want to??

Whilst I agree with you Mainad your comments regarding the importance of cricket and the lack of importance of other Olympic/CG sports for the Indians, I don't think the woeful state of affairs has a causal link in Indian attitudes to sport.

Where the disconnect has come from is (I believe) in the actual developmental, political and societal problems that India in general is still labouring with. As much as economists and politicians can gild the lily with talk of an Indian boom and the growing prestige of Indian power in a geopolitical context, when it comes to so many of the basic structures that we in the developed world take for granted the Indians are yet to roll those out for the majority of their citizens. It is admirable that as the world largest democracy with a perennially growing number of citizens and challenges we in the developed world can't begin to understand, India has come a long way since the protectionist post-colonial days of the last half of the 1900s. But the government, industry, society as a whole is simply not up to the task of delivering a hugely complex project as a CGs. The corruption, the bureaucratic maze of red tape and paybacks, the nepotism, the teeming poverty of so many Indians, the growth of an exploitative clique of middle and upper class wealthier Indians, the blithe acceptance of inequality and disadvantage and then yes finally the general apathy felt by most Indians towards sports other than cricket mean these games were always going to be vulnerable to incompetence.

I know it is a bitter pill for those who believe that there is some kind of need for equity when it comes to hosting the likes of a CGs or an Olympics, but there are countries that are simply just not capable of hosting them. India is not ready for a CGs now and won't be for an Olympics for decades. The only positive that will come from this is that the likes of the IOC and the CGF will hopefully draw lessons and continue to push back the fundamentally flawed third world bids that spring up every now and again (Jakarta, Tashkent, Abuja, Hambantota etc etc).

[Arush Mittal]

India seeks a Commonwealth Games miracle

Here's a telling set of stats:

On Wednesday, a Times of India poll reported that 76 percent of Delhi residents felt the estimated three-billion-dollar cost of the Games was unjustified, and 50 percent said preparations had severely disrupted their lives.

Delhiites root for CW Games

These findings are part of ‘Are We Ready?’ — an opinion poll on the Commonwealth Games 2010 conducted by Gfk Mode for CNN-IBN.

Here's a telling set of stats:

- 90 per cent of Delhiites feel happy about the Commonwealth Games 2010 taking place in their city.

- Two-thirds of the respondents feel that Delhiites would not abandon their city during the sporting extravaganza scheduled from October 3 to October 14.

- An overwhelming majority (76 per cent) agrees that the Games have helped improve the infrastructure.

- 92 per cent of the respondents said they plan to watch CWG on television and of these, 73 per cent said they would prefer watching CWG rather than India–Australia cricket series matches during the same time.

No matter how much people or the utterly incompetent Indian media try to highlight every negative aspect of CWG 2010, these games were supposed to set up a sporting culture in India and it will accomplish the same.

Yes I agree to the fact that, corruption, red tapeism, and unending loopholes exist in the bureaucratic procedures in my country.

I believe, a balanced approach to both the pessimistic and optimistic sides should be followed, rather than just nitpicking every issue. We are here to discuss the Commonwealth Games 2010, and not the political system of a particular country.

Construction details, if drafted here, would take several pages of this forum.

NOCs from every single authority,i.e. Archaeological survey of India and the like; and PILs filed against the CWG 2010 by Human Right Activists, Environmentalists, were all cleared only in late 2008, and unlike China, no one is put behind bars for raising their voice against the system.

[LuigiVercotti]

Delhiites root for CW Games

These findings are part of ‘Are We Ready?’ — an opinion poll on the Commonwealth Games 2010 conducted by Gfk Mode for CNN-IBN.

Here's a telling set of stats:

No matter how much people or the utterly incompetent Indian media try to highlight every negative aspect of CWG 2010, these games were supposed to set up a sporting culture in India and it will accomplish the same.

Yes I agree to the fact that, corruption, red tapeism, and unending loopholes exist in the bureaucratic procedures in my country.

I believe, a balanced approach to both the pessimistic and optimistic sides should be followed, rather than just nitpicking every issue. We are here to discuss the Commonwealth Games 2010, and not the political system of a particular country.

Construction details, if drafted here, would take several pages of this forum.

NOCs from every single authority,i.e. Archaeological survey of India and the like; and PILs filed against the CWG 2010 by Human Right Activists, Environmentalists, were all cleared only in late 2008, and unlike China, no one is put behind bars for raising their voice against the system.

How can anyone defend these farcical games in the context of what was promised, what has eventuated and what is still NOT guaranteed to be delivered. From dozens of deaths in the construction to bribes, nepotism, threats to intellectual property, communciable disease problems, doubts over security, drug cheating by Indian weightlifters, exploitation of the very people these games were supposed to benefit and repeated failures of the organising committee to do anything to the standards set by any reasonable expectation of the CGF or for that matter previous major sporting festivals and their host organisations. And at the end of the day this criminally expensive exercise in policy and governmental instrumentalities within a system that rewards only those who can exploit the underclasses or the honest is going to sully everyone's contribution.

And by the way Arush if you actually dropped your blinkers and looked around at other threads we have discussed every potential or existing bid or games over the last 9 or so years with the same degree of attention to detail. Many of us here are Olympic veterans who have been in the belly of the beast so to speak and understand issues like not waiting till a week before teh athletes move in to do your security inspection, or leaving masses of waste that could be fertile ground for disease breeding insects on a flood plain where the athlete's village is built. And stop blaming your media; it is far easier to shoot the messenger than to actually admit that these games have been stuffed up royally by ineptitude and criminal negligence.

Finally Beijing's games are over and done with and like many others here I personally feel that whilst they should never have been awarded and there will be many hidden issues we will never learn about in the public domain, at least within the context of delivering what was promised efficiently the Chinese did just that. In an ideal world Beijing, like Moscow and Berlin would never have been given SOGs on the grounds of their inherent totalitarian political context. As for Delhi, if the government and organising committee had delivered what was promised safely and equitably then there would be none of this talk. Sad to say this hasn't happened and it is an inescapble conclusion that the blame lies within the basic fabric of the Indian socio-political framework.

[Rafa]

With time fast running out, Mrs Dixit is seeking divine intervention.

"It appears that Lord Indra [the rain god] is unhappy with us," she said at the weekend.

"I will appeal to him to bring some sunshine. If the rain stops and sun comes out, we will be able to complete the work by 10-15 September. Otherwise we will have to extend the deadline.

"By the grace of god, we will be able to finish everything by 3 October."

I'm not sure the concept of a deadline is understood.

[LuigiVercotti]

Another selection of 'how low can the Delhi 2010 games go' stories:

Positive’s negative

Indian wrestling squad has been decimated by doping convictions...so if they can actually hold the games the hosts are willing to win at all costs (will the organising committee be required to hand out a loan like they did to the weightlifting federation for their convicted dopers?)

Civic body gets nod to spray Games venues with insecticides

Nice to know that the local civic authorities are finally using one of the least toxic substances to arrest the dramatic upswing of dengue fever through mosquito eradication.

Australia short of sponsors for Games

One of the three major powers of the CGs is struggling to meet the financial implications of attending Delhi and the downturn in income is directly attributable to these games and their organisation...how must it be for the smaller teams (any news from the Canadians and Kiwis re their teams funding?)

Lashker paragliders target CWG

Yep, terrorists mounting an airborne assault on Delhi 2010 venues is now a possibility...

OC hunts for rooms as flats not ready

So if you as an athlete were thinking that the man or woman judging your long jump take off or your boxing bout will have had the same facilities and housing as you do, think again...

And all of these stories have come within just the last 7 hours...

[Rafa]

OC hunts for rooms as flats not ready

The Commonwealth Games organisers are on a last-minute lookout for about 1,600 extra hotel rooms to house technical officials, who were supposed to be housed at the upcoming flats in Vasant Kunj by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA). They have initiated talks with one- and two-star hotels in Delhi to negotiate the lowest possible rates after they got signal from multiple quarters in the Union government, including the Cabinet Secretariat, that the flats might not be in ideal living condition in time for the Games.

The last-minute search for the rooms has had a negative effect on negotiations as sources said hotels have been quoting exorbitant tariffs knowing well that the OC requires these rooms. But the OC has been able to bring down the rates to somewhat agreeable levels and have even booked some rooms.

"We are looking for rooms for both foreign as well as Indian technical officials," said Moti Irani, head of the accommodation functional area of the OC.

"We have reasons to believe that we will need these rooms as the Vasant Kunj flats might not be ready."

Officially, though, the DDA is still hopeful that it will be able to deliver 1,600 of the 2000-odd flats to the OC. "As far as we are concerned, the flats will be ready in exactly the condition the OC had asked for," said DDA spokeswoman Neemo Dhar.

The DDA was supposed to hand over the flats with full furnishing by the Indian Tourism Development Corporation by September.

"Even if they finish the flats, they will not be in great condition. There are problems with power backup, water logging, and the general finish of the property," said a senior official on condition of anonymity.

The Vasant Kunj flats have been entangled in controversy ever since a union of DDA engineers issued statements earlier last month that the flats would not be finished. That was followed by the DDA Vice Chairman A.K. Nigam clarifying the agency would deliver the flats as promised.

[LuigiVercotti]

And the fiasco continues:

Things are surely going to go down to the wire: Hooper

When it comes to Delhi's delayed facilities it's either there is no certification or certification needs to be re-configured due to monsoon damage. And Hooper is quite willing to NOT say these games will be the greatest as claimed by the clowns Kalmadi etc.

Vuvuzelas OK'd for Commonwealth Games

Yep, forget Indian culture and showing respect to the athletes or fellow fans, those bloody ear-deafening imported droning plastic tubes are being okayed by the Delhi 2010 organisers. Ridiculous....both in terms of barren cultural policy and demonstrating how cheap, tacky and unreasonable garbage is being substituted for substance at these games.

A monsoon of chaos, scandal and delays

Aside from the scandalous way in which the Dalits (untouchables) are being treated have a look at the final quote from Chief Delusional Loon Kalmadi:

“I assure you with this games, Delhi will be emerging as the next big sporting hub in the world.”

Gridlocks spoil weekend as Games lane trial begins

Self-explanatory...

Rs. 750 crore insurance cover sought in the event of CWG cancellation

Wonder if the payout is already being prepared...

[Arush Mittal]

How can anyone defend these farcical games in the context of what was promised, what has eventuated and what is still NOT guaranteed to be delivered. From dozens of deaths in the construction to bribes, nepotism, threats to intellectual property, communciable disease problems, doubts over security, drug cheating by Indian weightlifters, exploitation of the very people these games were supposed to benefit and repeated failures of the organising committee to do anything to the standards set by any reasonable expectation of the CGF or for that matter previous major sporting festivals and their host organisations. And at the end of the day this criminally expensive exercise in policy and governmental instrumentalities within a system that rewards only those who can exploit the underclasses or the honest is going to sully everyone's contribution.

And by the way Arush if you actually dropped your blinkers and looked around at other threads we have discussed every potential or existing bid or games over the last 9 or so years with the same degree of attention to detail. Many of us here are Olympic veterans who have been in the belly of the beast so to speak and understand issues like not waiting till a week before teh athletes move in to do your security inspection, or leaving masses of waste that could be fertile ground for disease breeding insects on a flood plain where the athlete's village is built. And stop blaming your media; it is far easier to shoot the messenger than to actually admit that these games have been stuffed up royally by ineptitude and criminal negligence.

Finally Beijing's games are over and done with and like many others here I personally feel that whilst they should never have been awarded and there will be many hidden issues we will never learn about in the public domain, at least within the context of delivering what was promised efficiently the Chinese did just that. In an ideal world Beijing, like Moscow and Berlin would never have been given SOGs on the grounds of their inherent totalitarian political context. As for Delhi, if the government and organising committee had delivered what was promised safely and equitably then there would be none of this talk. Sad to say this hasn't happened and it is an inescapble conclusion that the blame lies within the basic fabric of the Indian socio-political framework.

Mr. eusebius65, I never wanted to make this post directed towards you, but as you are continuously criticising every bit of these games, and calling it 'the hosting of most redundant event in the name of farcical games', I believe you are showing signs of senescence.

Till date, in this forum, you have posted all the links from the Indian media and based on the most stupid articles from young editors with no sports experience, have made your claims for it being the most disastrous games, which is STILL to be declared open. The main points you are concerned to and think of are:

- Corruption

- Inexperience

- Incapability

- and, again, corruption

You said these games to be 'criminally expensive', any sources to put out your claim so irresponsibly?

These games have costed a total of $2.4 billion, far below than the Beijing Olympics which amounted to a total of $40 Billion.

You talk so stridently of nepotism, whereas, if at all these games seem to be a failure, the core reason is the outsourcing of this event to the hands of various consultants from the European countries and Australia.

As I have said before, yes, corruption exists, BUT it is not the sole reason for what you term as 'the worst example of a multi-event sports festival since the St Louis 1904 Olympics'. I pity you for having an unbending mindset regarding these games.

Coming back to the topic, fake certification for the venues presented in a report from the Chief Technical Examiner's Wing of Central Vigilance Comission, if YOU actually have dropped your blinkers and in the process of surfing for more news regarding the CWG 2010 on internet, you should keep this thing in mind, that the report presented by CTEO is NOT a FINAL REPORT by CVC.

Here's a quote from the CVC website:

CTEO is the first step, and does not, in any way, assume the form of a Final CVC Report, as it is sought to be projected in different quarters. CTEO reports are followed by agency reply, CTEO counter, and agency's further reply, etc.

And on the point of blaming the Indian Media, I am talking about the same media groups accusing the OC for buying toilet paper for $89, whereas the reality is, as said by the spokesperson for the OC, that this price is for a carton of 100 paper rolls.

Claims made by the media on the basis of their so called 'highly placed sources' and refers to the sayings of senior officials 'on condition of anonymity', surprises me.

#Water-logging? How about a continuous thunder rain for almost a week(6 days, to be precise), breaking the record of past 25 years? No sources to support my point, I, myself experienced it.

#Dengue cases? This communicable disease has a rotational outbreak every 4 years, as it is the very year, it was supposed to outbreak, after 2006 in 2010, despite the preventive measures, more than 1,000 cases have been reported so far, BUT in the city of more than 18 million residents.

#Failure in dope test? If those cases would have been reported after the Indian weightlifters won gold in the Games, you would have been the first one to post article regarding the same.

The only point, I fully agree with you is regarding the death of 42 laborers on the construction venues, weak Indian Labor Laws are responsible for the same. And I would sincerely hope that this number doesn't increase.

If at all, still if you image Delhi of being completely dug up, it is NOT. Missed deadlines was a result of global recession period, with India being one of the most badly affected nations, it is that time when infrastructure companies expressed their sorry state and incapability in handling construction work, and the Central Government had to provide subsidies for the same.

Please note that Delhi Metro expansion and beautification of several areas was to be carried out EVEN if games weren't taking place, as CWG 2010 approached nearer, the deadlines were pushed back so as to present a better Delhi to the visitors.

And, you can still go on blabbering about the sorry state of the Games, while we'll be enjoying all the fun & frolic during the grand event.

You can consider this post as my last in this forum before the Games are declared open, as I can see that some of the 'self-proclaimed' Olympic veterans are somewhat blinded by their own esteem and cannot see other developing nations to host these type of events. I, being a common Delhiite would request you all, except His Excellency eusebius65 , to have a look at both the sides of theses Games, and wait until the Games are thrown open.

Some more news, you might not get to read:

World swimming, diving champs have no security fears ahead of CWG

Britain's world diving champion Tom Daley has said that he has no security fears ahead of the 2010 Commonwealth Games, which kicks off on October 3.

India gives the thumbs-up to Commonwealth Games

Another Survey conducted:

One-third of the sample size of 5,100 respondents felt the media was “probably exaggerating”, while 6% preferred to sweep aside the media reports as “totally incorrect”.

Commonwealth Games 2010 – The Right Time to Visit India

The fact that the Commonwealth Games would be held in Delhi also ensures that visitors would have plenty of opportunities to indulge in the city’s legendary culinary and retail scene.

CWG drug bust is a good omen

The best thing to have come out of the nabbing of a group of dope-tainted wrestlers and athletes earlier this week is the message that drug cheats will not have it easy at the forthcoming Commonwealth Games here next month.

And instead of time-crafting your posts on your mind-based assumptions, and propogating about how other pro-games forumers are quite, FYI they all are waiting for these games to be declared successful, and then would like to comment, as they, unlike you, believe in posting with an authentic source backing their claims.

And before I leave:

At the risk of kicking a dog whilst it's down....

I feel sorry for you, using such words for fellow forumers. God Bless your mind.

[Rafa]

You talk so stridently of nepotism, whereas, if at all these games seem to be a failure, the core reason is the outsourcing of this event to the hands of various consultants from the European countries and Australia.

As I have said before, yes, corruption exists, BUT it is not the sole reason for what you term as 'the worst example of a multi-event sports festival since the St Louis 1904 Olympics'. I pity you for having an unbending mindset regarding these games.

hahahahahahahahaha.

and

hahahhahahahahahah'

and

hahahahahahahah

[cormiermax]

Lol Arush Mittal your delirious, the Delhi games will be a complete disaster and inside you know that

[Rob2012]

The point is, whether the media have been stirring things or not, and recession or no recession, deadline after deadline have been missed with the building work, and we're now in a position where we're hoping it doesn't rain so it can be completed! Arguments over whether the CWG are redundant and cost issues aside, this is a ridiculous situation to be in less than a month from the start of a Games. I've been watching the progress of these Games and of London's Games, and it amazed me that London started put the cable net roof on its stadium before Delhi did - the two stadium projects were mirroring each other quite closely for a while with London slightly ahead in its progress before Delhi finally decided to pull the stops out. The difference being of course we've got just under two years to have things ready, whilst you have just under two weeks.

Edited September 5, 2010 by RobH

[LuigiVercotti]

The point is, whether the media have been stirring things or not, and recession or no recession, deadline after deadline have been missed with the building work, and we're now in a position where we're hoping it doesn't rain so it can be completed! Arguments over whether the CWG are redundant and cost issues aside, this is a ridiculous situation to be in less than a month from the start of a Games. I've been watching the progress of these Games and of London's Games, and it amazed me that London started put the cable net roof on its stadium before Delhi did - the two stadium projects were mirroring each other quite closely for a while with London slightly ahead in its progress before Delhi finally decided to pull the stops out. The difference being of course we've got just under two years to have things ready, whilst you have just under two weeks.

I wont quote Arush's post (well meaning if delusional and ignorant though it is) as you Rob outline the absolute core failure of the Delhi games is they haven't delivered what was promised and what was expected. By the yardstick of almost every major sports festival since the end of WW2 Delhi 2010 has failed to match any previous paradigm, and instead has been mired in a monsoon of errors, delays and broken promises.

Perhaps if our sub continental colleague would actually stop blaming the messengers or excusing the ineptitude and criminal behaviour of his fellow Indians he'd listen to folk who have been there and done that in circumstances far more advanced and less problematic than his home town has had to deal with. For example right now 10 years ago I was in the Sydney Olympic Village where 10,000 plus athletes and officials were housed with no threat of dengue fever, no threat from terrorists in gliders, no issues with uncertified buildings, no concerns over those who built the facilities dying or being underpaid to the point of extreme poverty. And in that same village those facilities had been complete at least 6 months beforehand.

And you know what was the biggest administrative stuff up before Sydney games; the logistics of the ticket sales. That was it; in a developed society where the concept of everyone having an equal and fair opportunity to get tickets to the games was crucial, when this didn't happen the heads of SOCOG were made painfully aware of their mistakes. Ten years on the smaller scale CGs in Delhi can't even deliver safe buildings let alone equitable reserved seating to indoor or stadium events. Ferchrissake I was standing on a completed athletics track in the completed main stadium on September 15th 1999, and almost 11 years to the day Delhi can't even deliver a flat surface with correct IAAF certification with scant weeks before the athletes arrive.

What is most objectionable about all this is that the people who are really going to suffer from the ineptitude of these farcical games are those who have the most at stake. The athletes and their families, and the poor of Delhi who have been evicted, exploited and will no doubt be turned aside after the games. In a country like the UK, Australia, US, Canada etc etc bread and circuses such as Olympic or Commonwealth Games are an expensive luxury at the best of times and we can to some degree excuse their expense with what they represent for national identity, for the workers, for the spectators, for the volunteers and for the athletes. Delhi 2010 has been inexcusable because it has not been an equitable nor efficient use of the scant public resources in a developing nation, and at the cost of dozens dead and thousands exploited it leaves any interested party with a very bitter taste. These aren't the Friendly Games, these are the inept and redundant games.

Edited September 5, 2010 by eusebius65

[Rafa]

Those consultants he blames are the ones who made sure the main stadium roof went up so quickly...where does he think the technology comes from?

[Rafa]

A Delhi forumer at SSC had the nerve to compare landscaping at SA 2010 venues with that of Delhi. Eish.

[LuigiVercotti]

So Arush, instead of just posting a link and a pithy statement, how bout you show the full details of your refernce below:

India gives the thumbs-up to Commonwealth Games

Another Survey conducted:

One-third of the sample size of 5,100 respondents felt the media was “probably exaggerating”, while 6% preferred to sweep aside the media reports as “totally incorrect”.

The actual quote is:

Optimism apart, 58% felt the media expose of corruption and delay in CWG preparations was “completely correct”. One-third of the sample size of 5,100 respondents felt the media was “probably exaggerating”, while 6% preferred to sweep aside the media reports as “totally incorrect”.

Talk about a young and inexperienced editor lol

And what about these stats from the survey:

A little over one-fourth of the participants (27%) opined that India will actually spend less than the budget for CWG, mainly because contractors would be fined for late deliveries. Two-thirds felt the expenditure would exceed the budget, while 38% said the country had already spent close to double the budget.

At least 14% said the actual cost would be a whopping 1,500% to 2,000% more than the budget, while 13% said it would be 500%-600% above the allocation.

A key reason perceived for the high cost was corruption, with 38% of those polled feeling so, while 17% pinned the blame on inflation over the past three years and 26% said thebudget itself was unrealistic. Nine per cent of the participants blamed it on inefficiency.

Most participants (42%) held Kalmadi responsible for the corruption, 36% blamed it on the Union sports ministry, 33% on the Union government, 18% on the Delhi government, 17% on the CWG organising committee and 11% on Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit.

Notice no one believes in your falacious and unsubstantiated innuendo that Westerners and the GFC led to the problems; it is all about local contractors, the inept and corrupt Organising Committe and the government with its woeful planning and management.

But hey, as I slowly sink in my senescence perhaps we can pray to the gods and all will be well 27 days from now

[baron-pierreIV]

I wonder who the goddess Shiva is favoring?

Can't wait for the big Cobra Charmers' number in the Opening!!

[OneTimeOnly]

So, have any countries pulled out yet? Are any likely to pull out and not attend?

[Rafa]

Less than a month to go for Games, tenders still being put out

Read more: Less than a month to go for Games, tenders still being put out - India - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Less-than-a-month-to-go-for-Games-tenders-still-being-put-out/articleshow/6507841.cms#ixzz0ynBIqFO6

NEW DELHI: Despite the Commonwealth Games due to begin in less than a month, tenders are still being sought for audio and video equipment along with handlers for all 17 sports for presentation ceremonies even as the response to other last-minute proposals has been poor.

The invitation for audio and video equipment as also music packages was put out on Tuesday even though discussions in the Organising Committee had led to the view that no further request for proposals should be called for given the time left. But the equipment sought is so intrinsic to venues that it has to be contracted.

Such is the hurry in the last leg procurment of equipment that the final date for submission of bids is September 11 with the tenders being opened the same day. That will leave winning bids with three weeks to set up equipment even as it remains to be seen how many suppliers come forward with credible offers.

The presentation ceremonies should, said sources, have been planned well in advance and the need for the equipment now being sought was hardly unanticipated. There is a suspicion that the late tendering would result in a very limited response with only a few firms making the cut. Whether some contenders had a discreet headstart was a matter of speculation.

Similarly, tenders for production of animated promotional spots for the Games had not yielded anything like a competitive field. Of those who showed interest, most fell out of reckoning on some eligibility criteria or the other while it now seems that just two bidders will be empanelled. Both competition and quality were likely to be hit.

It is not clear whether the delayed bidding is a result of the inefficiency that has marked the organisation of the Games or can end up tilting the field of play in favour of some entitites. With the government now straining to ensure that there is no loss of face when the Games unfold, few questions are asked and there are always emergency clauses to be invoked.

As the venues are being readied with debris being moved and water pooling due to heavy rains drained, requests for procurements continue to pour in with logistics put in place. The OC is now approaching state oil companies for 40,000 litres of diesel that will be needed for the massive generators at the redone Jawaharlal Nehru stadium. The requirements at other venues are being worked out.

The pace of work and level of scrutiny have increased since Prime Minister Manmohan Singh held a review of the Games preparations in mid-August. Officials specifically deputed to oversee work at venues have made a difference while the Cabinet Secretary's primary task has become the conduct of the mega sporting event but the bits and pieces do not seem to end.

Read more: Less than a month to go for Games, tenders still being put out - India - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Less-than-a-month-to-go-for-Games-tenders-still-being-put-out/articleshow/6507841.cms#ixzz0ynBGeD37