1900 DDA flats for CWG staff still incomplete

Less than 60 days are left to go for the Commonwealth Games 2010, and apart from charges of corruption, the inability to complete housing projects is turning out to be another cause of concern for the government. It is now learnt that nearly 1900 out of 2700 flats, meant to house technical staff of the games, are far from being complete. What's more surprising however is that the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) which was given the task of constructing those flats seems to have almost given up.

As of now, only 800 flats are ready. And going by current pace of work, the remaining 1900 are likely to remain incomplete. And although the project started as early as March 2008, work picked up pace as late as November 2009. Engineers involved in the project now say that they will not be able to meet the August 31 deadline.

However, when asked the tough question, DDA insists that the project would be able to meet the deadline.

"It's not September 30 yet. How can you say in advance that the work is not complete," says Nand Lall, member, finance, DDA.

An association of DDA engineers has even written a letter to the Urban Development Ministry informing it about the status of the project.

An engineer, on condition of anonymity tells CNN-IBN that engineers working at various sites have expressed their inability to meet the deadline.

"Confidentially, I have asked every engineer whether the project will be complete in the given time. They say it won't be complete," he says.

Another DDA engineer, who was earlier a part of the project, alleges that individual contractors are now being pulled in to complete the work.

"They have cancelled all the previous tenders given to contractors. Now they are releasing fresh work orders worth Rs 20-30 lakh each at four times the actual cost. They are even ready to pay Rs 1.5 lakh for the work that costs Rs 1 lakh only. Still it won't be complete," says the engineer.

Due to security concerns, Delhi Police had suggested that it would be better if the technical staff for the CWG stayed at one place. But possibility of the number of flats being insufficient to house all of the staff members, and the likelihood of they being accommodated somewhere else raises security concerns.

Besides that, arrangements will now have to be made to accommodate 2150 technical staff personnel. It is yet another blow to the government which has been saying that this will be the best ever Commonwealth Games.