Ceiling comes crashing down at main venue

It has been a series of embarrassments for the organising committee of the coming Commonwealth Games.

A small part of a false ceiling at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, the main venue of the Games, today collapsed, just a day after an under-construction foot overbridge came crashing down in the same complex, injuring at least 27 people.

Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, under attack over the current turn of events, rejected the criticism that the event was collapsing.

“I would like you tell very categorically that these minor glitches and hitches do come around.... But to make out as the whole thing is collapsing — I am sorry, we do not agree with that.”

“This is not my Games, this is not your Games. This an event of the whole country. We will address all the concerns and drawbacks. There is no reason to worry.... We should look at it as an opportunity. Please become positive,” she said.

The Games will be held between October 3 and 14.

Two or three tiles fell this morning from the ceiling of the stadium where the weightlifting event is scheduled to be held, police sources said. No one was injured in the incident. Each tile measured 2 feet by 2 feet.

Urban Development Minister Jaipal Reddy said: “There is no need for anyone to get agitated. We should be focusing on the delivery of Games and not fault finding. There were 17 venues and to pin down everything on a single institution or individual is not fair. Also, we should not blame the public sector units.”

So far, the organisation of the Commonwealth Games has been a long litany of complaints.

Cabinet Secretary K M Chandrasekhar, who doesn’t normally make public statements, today visited the Games Village and said a number of steps had been taken to improve the condition. “I think they are working in full steam and we are in constant touch with them. I think they will be on top of the situation,” he told reporters here.

At a meeting called by Delhi Lieutenant Governor Tejendra Khanna yesterday, a decision was taken to appoint a chief engineer to ensure uninterrupted power supply at the Games Village and post one officer each as in-charge of the residential towers for cleanliness and maintenance works, he said.