M.S. Gill wants labourers’ safety at Commonwealth Games sites

Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports M.S.Gill on Saturday said that safety of the labourers working on the Commonwealth Games should be kept in mind.

Gill said this during the inauguration of the emodelled and reconstructed Indira Gandhi indoor stadium here.

Also present on this occasion were Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and Chairman of the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee (CGOC) Suresh Kalmadi.

Speaking on this occasion, Gill said: “As I have always said that whatever we are making, the labourers have a big role and their safety is our responsibility. So I keep reminding the engineers time and again about the labourers’ safety. If you see, in Nehru Stadium they (labourers) work at such heights and safety concerns must be taken into considerations. Secondly, they must, what I said because I read in the press that whatever is their rights they must get that and on time. There should not be any delay.”

The new Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, with built-up area of 72,425 sqm, has been completely renovated for the XIX Commonwealth Games at a total cost of Rupees 240 crore (2.4 billion rupees).

With a total seating capacity of 14,500, the stadium is the largest indoor stadium in India, with state of the art facilities including 2200 Lux sports lighting system.

The entire stadium will be under electronic surveillance through fixed and PTZ cameras connected to central control room, which will have integrated network for connecting various facilities, to meet the operational requirement of various tournaments.

The Indira Gandhi indoor stadium will serve as the gymnastics venue of the Commonwealth Games to be held later this year in October.