India assures foolproof security for 2010 Commonwealth Games

India has promised foolproof security for next year’s Commonwealth Games to be staged in New Delhi.

The senior functionaries of the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee disclosed this to reporters here on Thursday.

Earlier, plans were discussed at the two-day international security liaison conference organised by India’s federal Home Ministry and attended by experts from 26 of the 71 participating nations including Britain, Australia and New Zealand.

“All countries who had come, whether it is UK, Australia, they had come, they have seen not only the games village, they have seen the presentation and the security arrangements whether it is perimeter security within the games movements or from the games to the training and other venues and they were quite happy with that,” said Union Home Secretary G K Pillai.

He also mentioned that as a part of the security measures, the venues may be sealed a week or a fortnight prior to the commencement of the mega event.

“We hope to seal the venue 7-14 days before the start of the games,” added G K Pillai, Home Secretary, Government of India.

India formed the liaison group due to heightened safety fears over travelling to New Delhi for the competition that will be staged in October 2010.

“We will be catering for additional resources to manage the Commonwealth Games so that the working of the day to day business as usual has to continue because we have to keep Delhi safe,” noted Y S Dadwal, Commissioner of Police, Delhi.

As for the threat perceptions in the sports arena of the sub-continent, gunmen ambushed the Sri Lanka cricket team bus in Lahore in March, raising concerns that sport could become a target in the region.

Later, England pulled out of the World Badminton Championships held in India by citing a ’specific terrorist threat’.

However, the tournament went off smoothly and consequently, the British Sports Minister expressed regret to his Indian counterpart.

Speaking on the preparedness of the venues for the Commonwealth Games, Sindhushree Khullar, India’s Sports Secretary mentioned that all the venues will be definitely ready well in time.

Delhi had bagged the contract after beating the Canadian city Hamilton in the bid for the games.

The Games will be staged in India for the first time and in Asia for the second time. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, held the Commonwealth Games in 1998.

The 2010 Commonwealth Games will be India’s first major international sports event after the 1982 Asian Games.