Image of country at stake

Roads and pavements still dug up, roofs of newly built stadia leaking and a top investigating agency looking into the complaints of poor quality of material used in construction of roads, flyovers and buildings. Exactly two months to the Commonwealth Games, the situation does not look too bright

to Vijay Kumar Malhotra, senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader and leader of the opposition in the Delhi Assembly.

“Corruption and inordinate delays have marred the build up to the Commonwealth Games,” said Malhotra, who also holds the post of vice president in the Indian Olympic Association.

Expressing concern regarding the news of roof of the weightlifting stadium leaking the very moment it was being inaugurated, Malhotra said most of the stadiums are “not fully fit and not ready to host the events”.

“It was really shocking to see that the roof of the stadium, which is built at a cost of whopping Rs 80 crore, was leaking on the first day,” said Malhotra.

The reports of Yamuna velodrome, the venue for cycling event, leaking and roofs of two under-construction venues giving way in thundershower last month have also caused concerns.

“The way the construction was delayed and were finally approved and started in 2008 was an indication that there was massive corruption involved in the preparations. The recent central vigilance commission has only confirmed our worst fears,” Malhotra said.

He said he had urged the government to start working on the projects “at least 30 times” in the last four years in the Lok Sabha and Delhi Assembly and had even cautioned that the delay appeared to be deliberate.

Malhotra said there is a general sense of antipathy, cynicism, concern and worry about the Games.

“The common man on the street is worried not only about the massive corruption but also about the image of the country,” he said.

He said the Delhi government has announced blacklisting of construction agencies on any delay or chinks in construction.

“Instead, the chief minister and her cabinet colleagues should be blacklisted.”