Workers rush to get New Delhi ready for Games

Indian workers are rushing to complete buildings and sports grounds for the Commonwealth Games as hundreds of athletes arrive in New Delhi.

India has come under harsh criticism for the state of the athletes' village including complaints about filthy conditions, infrastructure problems and even a snake found in the room of a South African competitor over the weekend.

Another snake, a large cobra, was also reportedly found at the tennis stadium. However, most team officials said they were satisfied with the state of progress.

"The rooms that we've moved athletes in today are clean and ready. We're comfortable that everybody is safe," said Caroline Searle, spokeswoman for the England team.

Chairman of Commonwealth Games Scotland, Michael Cavanagh, said that "the morale is very high. They're absolutely delighted with the village. They've only just gone in for the accommodation and that's pretty good too."

The Chairman of the Commonwealth Games 2010 Organising Committee, Suresh Kalmadi, said on Monday that all problems with the athletes' village had now been fixed and that no further problems were expected: "They got excellent facilities. I don't think there has been a Games Village like that anywhere else and they are all quite happy about it."

But Pakistan's High Commissioner to India, Shahid Malik, says work still needs to be done on accommodation for his country's team. "There are many things, I can't pin-point. But authorities know about it and they have assured me that before the time our contingent arrives here, they will be able to put it in order," he said.