Fennell takes stock, says work remains at CWG

With only 27 days left for the athletes to arrive in Delhi, Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) president Michael Fennell said there was a lot of detailing work that needed to be attended to urgently at the venues, though the basic structure was in place.

Fennell along with Mike Hooper, CEO of CGF, did a stock-taking of the preparations in the past two days. The two officials also visited the Games Village and have asked the organising committee to accelerate the work on roads, sidewalks and cleaning up of debris. “We are all aware of what needs to be done – lot of detailed work needs to be done. This is not unique to Delhi,” Fennel said.

Meanwhile, 10 bureaucrats of joint secretary and additional secretary rank have been appointed by the Prime Minister’s Office in the Organising Committee (OC).

These senior officials have been given charge of different venues and the OC officials have been asked to report to them. Amid reports of alleged corruption in the Commonwealth Games, introducing of senior bureaucrats to oversee the works has also led to speculation of Suresh Kalmadi, chairman of the OC being sidelined. Kalmadi, however, said the government officers have been brought in at the request of the Organising Committee. “We need a lot more people in the last leg of the Games,” he said.

He also said a fast-track committee headed by Jarnail Singh has been brought in to finalise the catering, image and look of the Games.

On the security and transport arrangement, Fennell said he was reassured that the preparations are solid. He has drawn the attention of the OC to technological equipment and dining and kitchen preparations at the Games Village that are running behind time.

Fennell said it would be impossible to compare India with other countries in terms of their preparedness as there was a lot of construction and renovation work required here. “In Melbourne all venues were already in place. Here, the venues were old and outdated. In Canada in 1994, the seating arrangements were being made even after the Queen’s arrival,” he added.