Jal Board ready with 2 plants at Games Village

The Delhi Jal Board (DJB) has commissioned two state-of-the-art plants: the 1 MGD sewage treatment plant (STP) and 1 MGD water treatment plant (WTP) at the Commonwealth Games Village. The plants will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Saturday.

The construction of the 1 MGD WTP was awarded to M/S VA Tech WABAG Ltd on October 13, 2008, at a cost of Rs 35 crore. The scope of the WTP included treatment of groundwater from underground deep bores using technologies such as hardness, ammonia and nitrates removal, filtration and disinfection.

The plant includes a clear water reservoir and a pump house, rejuvenation of existing borewells, raw water supply lines, alternate arrangement for source of water supply, a boundary wall, landscaping, and electricity arrangements with alternative sources.

“The WTP also has a connection from the 140 MGD Sonia Vihar WTP to act as a standby source whenever the quantity and quality of groundwater is not up to the mark,” a senior DJB official said.

The sewerage facilities at the Games’ village are being provided by the Delhi Development Authority. To minimise pressure of drinking water supply by DJB, the STP would be a zero-discharge plant, and there will be 100 per cent recycling of waste water for flushing toilets, air conditioning, and maintaining horticulture at the Games’ complex.

“The 1 MGD state-of-the-art STP, which has been developed using membrane technology for treatment and reclamation of waste water is the first experiment in Delhi, which would see 100 per cent utilisation of sewage for non-potable purposes,” DJB CEO Ramesh Negi said.

Central Bank of India launches CWG branch at OC HQ

Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit inaugurated a state-of-the-art Commonwealth Games branch of the Central Bank of India at the CWG Organising Committee headquarters.

Dikshit, while addressing the ceremony, appreciated the efforts of the bank to forge an alliance with the Commonwealth Games organisers for providing wholesome banking services to the players, officials and tourists from different countries.

OC chairman Suresh Kalmadi also appreciated the bank's initiative.

"The Organising Committee greatly appreciate the efforts of the Central Bank of India for forging this alliance and hopes they will create all the banking infrastructure to meet the requirements of the OC, visiting players, officials and tourists," Kalmadi said.

Arun Kaul, Executive Director of the Central Bank of India, was also present on the occasion.

About 6,000 athletes from 71 countries and territories will participate in the Commonwealth Games to be held here from October 3-14.

Delhi Commonwealth Games will be the best ever: Sheila Dikshit

Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said on Friday that the upcoming Commonwealth Games in New Delhi would be one of the best games ever organised.

Addressing an inaugural event at the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee headquarters here, Dikshit said: "These Games really will be one of the best that has been conducted anywhere in the world. We are almost everyday feeling more confident that we are up to it."

"We are grateful to have the Games in Delhi because what is being constructed for Delhi right now to facilitate the Games is going to be a great legacy for India," she added.

Speaking on the occasion, Commonwealth Games Organising Committee Chairman Suresh Kalmadi said the Games would be a huge success the way preparations were shaping up.

"Things are shaping up and all the foreigners are realising that developing countries like India can do it. And we are going to do it. There are no two ways about it," said Kalmadi.

He also refuted claims that there was a rift between him and Dikshit, or the Union Sports Minister M S Gill.

"Be it Suresh Kalmadi, Chairman of the Organising Committee, or Mrs Sheila Dikshit, who is looking after Delhi, or Dr Gill who is looking after sports, we are all one and we are looking after Team India under the leadership of our Prime Minister," said Kalmadi.

India is expecting two million tourists in New Delhi for the Games, as well as about 10,000 athletes from 71 teams representing 54 Commonwealth member states.

Construction delays have raised fears that the venues for the Commonwealth Games may not be ready on time, potentially embarrassing host India, which hopes the Games would showcase its rising economic power.

City prepared to host grand events like CWG: Sheila

Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit today said the city is prepared to host grand event like Commonwealth Games and ''we are becoming more and more confident with each passing day''. ''The games are only 107 days away. The city has commissioned the entire infrastructure and we are fully prepared to host such a grand event,'' Ms Dikshit said while inaugurating a branch of the Central Bank of India at the CWG Secretariat.

Expressing confidence that the games in Delhi will be a grand success and a memorable international sports event, she said, ''We are becoming more and more confident with each passing day. The infrastructure will become an inseparable part of legacy of the city.'' The new branch would be the 101st branch of the bank. It would cater to the banking needs of Commonwealth Games' Federations, officials, players, visitors and other organising bodies. Union Minister of State for Finance Namo Narain Meena, Chairman, Organising Committee of Commonwealth Games Suresh Kalmadi and CMD, Central Bank S Sreedhar were also present on the occasion.

''All agencies concerned and Commonwealth Games Organising Committee are working in tandem under the able guidance and leadership of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh,'' Mr Kalmadi said. Central Bank of India has also decided to provide temporary branches, ATMs and mobile ATM counters during the games.

Indian Building Congress Award for Thyagraj Stadium

The Thyagraj Sports Complex has been awarded the Indian Building Congress (IBC) Award by Union Minister for Urban Development S Jaipal Reddy.

Last night, Mr Reddy presented the IBC Trophy for Excellence in Built Environment in the sports complex which has been constructed for the upcoming Commonwealth Games.

The trophy was received by Delhi Labour Minister Mangat Ram Singhal and Public Works Department's chief engineer Rakesh Mishra during the day-long IBC annual Conference.

The Thyagaraj Stadium, the only newly-built stadium for the Games, has been constructed at a cost of Rs 297 crore with eco-friendly material.

It has an effluent treatment plant, green energy with gas based turbine power generation of 2.5 Mega Watt capacity, exhaust gases for air-conditioning and grid interactive solar power generation.

Besides, it also has facilities for heat insulation, conservation of water, use of recycled water and collection and use of rain water from ground and roof top.

This is also the first green stadium which will be used for sports activities even after the Games.

It has a competition and training venue for Netball (a competition court and two practice courts), training venue for athletics with synthetic athletic track and medical and physiotherapy centre.

Besides, the Delhi government received the IBC Trophy for Lighting Tower Structure Design for Chhatrasal Stadium.

The renovated Chhatrasal Stadium, a training venue for athletes, has been commissioned with an amount of Rs 70 crore.

Journey into outer space awaits Commonwealth Games visitors

Evening sky watch, live shows, movies on India's contribution to astronomy...Nehru Planetarium in the capital is gearing up to take Commonwealth Games tourists on a journey into outer space.

The planetarium, housed in the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (NMML) at Teen Murti Road, has been closed since April for a period of six months to carry out renovation work. The renovated venue will be inaugurated Oct 1, two days before the mega sporting event from Oct 3-14 that is expected to draw thousands of international tourists.

"We have received Rs.11 crore from the ministry of culture for renovation work. The planetarium will adorn a new look and infrastructure and equipment will be at par with other planetaria in the world," Chandni Luthra, director of modernisation projects at NMML, told IANS.

The planetarium will have all new electrical equipment, new chairs in the auditorium, new dome, new air conditioning and exhibits outside the planetarium.

The NMML has tied up with the National Council for Science Museums, which manages major science centres across India, including the Delhi Science Centre, for carrying out the upgradation work.

To attract a large number of tourists, the museum and planetarium will remain open every day till eight in the evening during the Games.

Four new shows -  "Awesome Light", "Dawn of Space Age", "Ultimate Universe", and "Chandra - A Stellar Life on the life of Noble laureate Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar"  - will be run during the event.

Visitors can also try their hands at some simple quantitative observations of celestial phenomena at the Planetarium as live shows on topics like night, day and seasons, solar system, comets, eclipses, gravitation, sunspots, moon and the universe will be conducted.

"NMML is also in the list of the guided tour of historical and significant places of Delhi which will be organised by the Delhi government for visitors during the Games," Luthra said.

The museum is also trying to get Rakesh Sharma, who was the first Indian in space, to interact with a select group in the first week of October.

A photo exhibition titled 'Nehru And The Making Of Modern India'  will be held in the museum premises.

"A 10-day film festival featuring noted filmmaker Shyam Benegal's film on (Jawaharlal) Nehru like 'Discovery of India' and other films on personalities of modern India will be showcased. Besides, the screening of plays on India's freedom struggle and architects of the nation will be held," Luthra said.

For adventure seekers, the museum will organise nature walks and bird watching tours in the Teen Murti House Gardens.

"One can enjoy sightings of around 100 different species of birds during that period. A cycle tour from Teen Murti to Gyarah Murti to Tees January Marg and heritage walks to monuments of Delhi are also being planned," she said.

Apart from this, the signages will be replaced and re-arranged to make them more informative and inviting, especially for those who are physically handicapped and aged.

A souvenir shop is also going to come up in the premises. Visitors can buy postcards, posters, key chains and a book on famous speeches.

The NMML was established in memory of the country's first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, after his death in 1964. It was his official residence. It  has four major constituents - a memorial museum, a library on modern India,a centre for contemporary studies and a planetarium.

Vehicle supply to CommonWealth Games: Tata pips Maruti

Tata Motors has piped Maruti Suzuki India as sole supplier of close to 2,000 cars, jeeps and trucks for the Commonwealth Games in Delhi in October for movement of VIPs, international delegates and athletes' families.

According to the organising committee of the Commonwealth Games, orders have been placed with Tata Motors for nearly 1,800 cars during the games and some more cars, jeeps and trucks for the Queen Baton Relay that would commence its nationwide run from June 25.

"We have finalised the deal with Tata Motors and this would be partly funded as well as partly sponsored. While we will pump in nearly Rs 10 crore for availing their services, the company would pump in a similar amount by way of sponsorship during the games," said Lalit Bhanot, secretary-general of the organising committee.

Earlier, the committee was in talks with both Maruti and Tata, the country's largest passenger vehicle and commercial vehicle manufacturer, respectively, for meeting its requirements for the event.

Maruti lost to Tata primarily because it only has passenger vehicles in its portfolio and not commercial ones.

Moreover, the company was insisting on outright purchase of all these vehicles. Tata Motors, on the other hand, have agreed to supply all kind of vehicles.

The organising committee has made this plan in accordance with the Commonwealth Games Federation regulations. According to these, the transportation requirements have been divided into two types, T1 and T2.

Of the total requirement of 1,800 vehicles, about 500 will T1, with GPS and other security measures, while the remaining ones will be under T2.

The VIPs will be provided with dedicated vehicles under T1, while athletes' kin and non-Board members of the CGF will be given cars on request under T2.