CWG: Gill inaugurates Cyling Velodrome

Sports Minister M S Gill on Tuesday inaugurated the brand new Cyling Velodrome, a venue for the Commonwealth Games, and asked the organisers to take good care of the infrastructure after the quadrennial event.

Built in 17 months and at a cost of Rs 150 crore, the Veladrome has been billed as the second only to the one used during Beijing Olympics and will have its first test event in late next month.

There were concerns over the timely completion of the venue due to the slow pace of construction work and the oraginsers said that it was a challenge to come up with a facility like this.

"It's a special occasion today. There were issues but it has come up in 17 months and undoubtedly something to be proud of. The other venues are also ready and I am just fixing the dates for their inauguration.

"But what after the wedding? The 'Pandal' has to be taken care of after wedding. These venues are world class and need to be taken care of well," Gill said while inaugurating the venue in the Indira Gandhi stadium complex.

The venue is a seven metre wide, 250m long Timber cycling track with four metre safety zone made of Siberian Pine Wood. It has a seating capacity of 3500 and also have facilities for the disabled athletes.

The Sports Minister also advised the orgainsers to keep a quote of free tickets for the rural youth and University students.

"Sports is all about youth. I want to request Mr Suresh Kalmadi to keep a bloc of free tickets for students from not only leading schools but also for the students of the village and also University kids.

"There will be 15000 people coming and we have to give them good hospitality only then we can say that wedding has gone off well," Gill said.

Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and Organising Committee chairman Kalmadi were also present on the occasion.

"Credit should go to the Sports Authority of India and CPWD for it (construction of the venue). The job has been done not only elegantly and beautifully but with the the state-of-the-art facilities.

"I have begun to feel that these will be the best Commonwealth Games," Dikshit said in her address.

Kalmadi said the Velodrome along with Tyagraj stadium were the best.

"I was asked in an interview which is the best venue. I said all the venues are world class but there is a tie between Tyagraj stadium and this Velodrome," he said.

"The World Cycling body wanted wooden floor instead of concrete and air conditioned velodrome. It was a challenge and it has turned out to be the best," Kalmadi said.

Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, President of the Cycling Federation of India, also praised the venue.

"I was jittery initially but the organisers kept on insisting that everything will be done. Do not expect medals from us but with facilities in place we can hope something in the Asian Games," he said.

"We are managing with just one foreign coach and do not have much equipments. The cycles are also very costly," he said.