CGF losing sleep over incomplete venues

Commonwealth Games Federation’s chief executive officer Mike Hooper has expressed his concern over the unfinished venues and slow pace of work. In all, 10,000 athletes will participate in the October 3-14 Games.

However, with 132 days to go, the main stadium is months overdue and completion of the swimming pool and other venues has been delayed, highlighting the slow pace of India’s infrastructure development.

“I am not wanting to sound alarmist, but the reality is there is a lot more to be done, a lot of finishing work to be done,” Hooper said. Other officials from the Commonwealth Games Federation and the Indian Olympic Association voiced similar concerns.

The completed venues were initially promised to be handed over to Games organisers by December 31, 2009.

Targets have been consistently missed for building roads, ports and power plants. The capital is also repairing old colonial buildings and completing new roads and rail links to give the city a makeover to try to ensure a successful event.

But the signs have not been encouraging. “The construction agencies have promised that they will meet deadlines but, unfortunately, we have had times when many promises were made and then we find one reason or another that delivery hasn’t been there,” Hooper said.

Authorities now fear the schedule will become so tight they will have insufficient time to check venues for glitches before the Games open.

Heightening those fears, the lights went out at a stadium on the first day of an Asian junior tennis tournament on Monday, forcing officials to abandon eight matches.

“The Games will happen, swimming will happen, athletics will happen,” Hooper said. “But it comes down to the level and standards of completion, I suppose.”

Hooper said he was wary of threats by mostly Pakistan-based militant groups but said security drills had been satisfactory so far. “Everybody is concerned about the security environment... but no team has said we are not coming to the Games,” Hooper said.