| How well are we prepared for Commonwealth Games: PHD Chamber | |
| India Infoline News Service / Mumbai Aug 26, 2008 09:26 | |
| The chamber suggests construction of a ‘preparedness level index’ to ensure that all projects are completed within the stipulated timeframe | |
| The Olympics ceremony came to a grand closure last weekend, with a spectacular display by China on all fronts, be it sports, courtesy, hospitality, infrastructure, air cleanliness level, rain dispersal, terror threat, transportation (Rail, Bus, taxi). All aspects covering such a major event were worked out to the minutest detail, and with luck favoring them things did run smoothly.
Commonwealth games are scheduled to be held in Delhi, from 3-17 October, 2010. Exactly 770 days are left from today. How well are we prepared for this mega event, which will showcase India to the world. The palpitations should have already started, now that the shield of another event is off. PHD Chamber has suggested construction of a ‘preparedness level index’ for CWG-2010 ensure that all projects are completed within the stipulated time frame. According to PHD Chamber, the index should take into consideration 4 important benchmarks; Physical Infrastructure, Transportation, Environment and Human Resource Development mainly Sportspersons. This index should be updated every three months to assess the progress made and to take necessary corrective action in case of any delays. CWG, which would involves some 5,000 athletes from 53 countries, will be the largest sporting event ever staged in India. Having staked India’s reputation on the event, New Delhi is spending an estimated US$12bn to prepare the city for the games. With little more than 2 years left, plans to build state-of-the-art sports facilities and transport infrastructure, including new roads, at least 10 flyovers and new underground subway lines, have yet to be executed. Delhi’s train stations require up-gradation and the city will have to add some 40,000 hotel rooms to cater to those expected to visit for the games. The facilities and amenities which existed during the Melbourne CWG 2006 and Beijing Olympics, 2008 should be an important benchmark. It’s important that all development agencies including the Private players sit across the table to evolve holistic strategies to complete the projects in time. Delhi has promised 11 World class venues for different events. All these need extensive overhauling. The proposed Commonwealth Games village to be built on the Yamuna riverbed has been given to a Dubai based real estate firm Emaar-MGF. As per the plan there will be three residential blocks with a capacity of about 8,500 athletes and delegates in around 4,000 rooms. The entire plan is scheduled to be finished by December 2009. The civic agency, MCD, has received a whopping amount of Rs.75.5 crores from Delhi government for its projects. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi is supposed to construct 16 railway/ road over bridges and under bridges all across the city. However, work on 9 of them is yet to start as official clearance from the Railway Board is yet to come. All the agencies have to work round the clock to ensure that these projects are completed .The civic agency also needs to complete the 16 multi-level car parking sites before 2010, which have been in the pipeline since 2004. The third runway at the International Airport opened recently and the airport can now handle 60 flights (landings and take offs) an hour (to go up to 70 flights) and is equipped with latest systems, Code F Compliant and can ensure landing from both sides during low visibility. Construction of the turmoil building, encompassing a covered area of 65 acres (nearly 2.8 million sq.ft.) is also moving at a fast pace so is the work on the airport express rapid metro link between the city and the airport. “the Airport project seems actually a little ahead of the target” commenting a senior official of the PHD Chamber. The hotel rooms in Beijing were not filled up, for the opening ceremony. We can learn a lesson and properly work out the requirements for the different categories and than go ahead and sanction hotel rooms. This will ensure that rooms are available for all categories of tourists, right from 7 star to budget hotels. The bed and breakfast scheme launched by the Delhi Government, though started with a lot of expectations, is still to pick up. The difficulties encountered are the exacting standards laid down. Not many people are keen as they fear that after the event, how well will it be received and also a lot of money is required to come up to the standards and get the clearances. Efficient traffic management during the Commonwealth Games could be the toughest job. We can draw lessons from the Chinese experience. An “intelligent traffic management” system, could ease the situation. We have to also plan the etiquette classes for volunteers and people handling public transportation Air quality in Beijing was improved over nine successive years with 14 phases of air control pollution efforts. The 13 waterways in the urban area had been cleaned, and forest coverage reached 51.6 percent, Delhi should start on air control pollution efforts. The Jal Board should start the water cleansing plan for the Yamuna river. “Delhi, which is by itself beautiful and diversified with monuments, heritage buildings by-lanes, food and eateries from a bygone era to latest hep joints, has to work on its own individual strengths and highlight the same, so the visiting delegates and sportspersons become our ambassadors”, said Dr. L K Malhotra, President, PHD Chamber. Apart from all these, serious concern should also go into the sports front itself. After all we should not be left embarrassed with a dismal performance at the medal tally. We should work hard and spend on training and cultivating our sportspersons. China has spent a lot of hard work and money on training the sportsmen, needless to say that they top the tally at Olympics. India has set Rs3bn for this purpose. Has the government taken steps to ensure that the resources are reaching the right people? |
