Kapil wants no clash between Tests, CWG

Indian cricket legend Kapil Dev Saturday indirectly favoured the rescheduling of India-Australia Test matches slated in October as they may clash with the dates of the Commonwealth Games (CWG) in Delhi from Oct 3 to 14.

'It all depends upon the administration and decision makers to make the schedule of these events. Commonwealth Games are undoubtedly a prestigious event for the country and I hope that the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) and the government of India would sort out this issue of schedule at the earliest,' said Kapil Dev, while talking to reporters here Saturday evening.

The Games in Delhi will be the biggest sporting extravaganza to be held in India after the 1982 Asian Games.

The Games' dates are clashing with the Test matches between India and Australia that are scheduled for Oct 2 at Mohali and Oct 10 at Bangalore.

Kapil Dev, who is among the highest wicket takers for India, was in this union territory Saturday to take part in the Queen's Baton Relay after the Chandigarh administration officially received it here Saturday evening.

Suresh Kalmadi, chairman of the organising committee of CWG, had also written a letter to union Sports Minister M.S. Gill on the rescheduling of the India-Australia Test matches.

Bamboo dance by Mizo dancers at Commonwealth Games

The traditional and popular bamboo dance of the Mizos, known as 'Cheraw', would be performed by around 80 dancers from Mizoram at the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi.

An official statement today said that the state government had accepted the invitation from the Commonwealth Games 2010 Committee to perform the colourful 'Cheraw' at the ceremony to be held in the first week of October.

Mizoram had found its way into the Guinness World Records with a 'Cheraw' performance featuring 10,736 participants on March 12 this year.

Commonwealth games: Haryana to offer camping sites

The Haryana government is in the process of setting up tented accommodations in Faridabad for the visitors during the Commonwealth Games in October.

“It will be for the first time that visitors from across the world can enjoy luxury of tents and that too in Surajkund, close to Delhi,” said S.N. Rai, managing director, Haryana tourism corporation.

“I believe the tents will be given preference by the visitors during the Commonwealth Games,” Rai said, adding, “tented accommodation will also be set up in Dundahera.”

The project is coming up on a public-private-partnership basis. The tourism department of Haryana had recently invited applications from private companies interested in setting up and running five camping sites at Surajkund in Faridabad, Hodal in Palwal, Dundahera and Damdama in Gurgaon and Dharuhera in Rewari.

“The response from the private companies has been overwhelming. We will soon decide which company will get what site,” Rai said.

“We will take care of infrastructure development, but the setting up of tented accommodation and running it will be handled by private players,” he added.

The Haryana tourism corporation has allocated 50 acres in Surajkund, 48 acres in Dundahera, 1.50 acres in Hodal, 0.75 acres in Dharuhera and 23.50 acres in Damdama for the camp sites.

“The camping site at Surajkund will be allotted to a reputed private company for four months, beginning September 1, 2010. The Dundahera camping site will be given for six months, Hodal and Dharuhera for one year each and Damdama for 11 years period,” Haryana tourism department stated in the expression of interest it issued recently.

The tourism corporation officials said at all such camping sites will have all basic infrastructure.

Special sight-seeing buses in Agra during CWG

Tourists visiting Agra during the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi will be taken for sight-seeing in special tour buses to be launched very soon.

Agra district authorities Saturday announced a plan to start an exclusive sight-seeing bus service, which will pick up tourists from hotels and take them around local tourist spots.

Another bus service will take tourists to Fatehpur Sikri, District Magistrate Amrit Abhijat said.

Abhijat said the special buses will make it convenient for tourists to see not just the Taj Mahal but also other historical monuments in the city.

The administration also announced a total ban on spitting and littering near historical monuments. Violaters of the order would be booked and fined heavily.

New hoardings and signages for the convenience of tourists are also being put up near the Taj Ganj area around the Taj Mahal.