Now, Games Panel Has No Money To Hire Caterers, Village Caterer To Serve Athletes At Games Venues

A year after the organizing committee (OC) decided to hire international-level caterers for the Commonwealth Games Village and venues, it says there isn't enough money to pay the m and must look at ``reworking the scope of work'' to keep costs to a ``minimum'', according to OC spokesperson Lalit Bhanot.

Asked why the catering firms chosen to do the job are still to be hired, Bhanot said: ``We hope to resolve the issue within a few days.'' On further enquiry, Bhanot admitted that the OC was ``reworking the scope of work. It's not a change in quality but rather in some areas of quantity.''

The admission comes almost a week after TOI reported that none of the firms except the one selected for the Commonwealth Games Village shortlisted for the catering tender has been given a letter of award or signed contract. When the catering tender had been issued a year ago, costs had been estimated at Rs 60 crore, based on an Ernst & Young study. Adding confusion to the chaos is the fact that the OC top brass, including chairperson Suresh Kalmadi, will be in London till June 10.

A week after TOI reported that none of the firms except the one selected for the Commonwealth Games Village shortlisted for the catering tender has been given a letter of award or signed contract, OC spokesperson Lalit Bhanot said there wasn't enough money to pay them and it must look at ``reworking the scope of work". The organizing committee (OC) top brass, including chairperson Suresh Kalmadi, will be in London for a Commonwealth Games Federation meeting, delaying resolution of the impasse.