Sports infrastructure just a fourth of CWG spend

Spending on other heads drove the 17-fold ballooning from initial estimate.

The cost of the just-concluded Commonwealth Games escalated by more than 17 times from the first estimate, but the amount incurred on new sporting facilities created for the occasion saw a much lower increase.

Compared to Rs 655 crore originally estimated for the entire Games at the time of bidding, the total expenditure went up to Rs 11,687 crore by the time these were held early this month. In contrast, the cost incurred on setting up 12 sporting facilities, including consultancy charges, went up by 125 per cent, from Rs 1,268 crore to Rs 2,860 crore.

While a cost escalation of 125 per cent is a matter of serious concern, agree experts, the much steeper rise in costs of other non-sport facilities such as infrastructure and streetscaping is far more so. They say those now probing the conduct of the Games should note that the spending on stadia and training venues was only about a fourth of the total cost incurred on staging the  Games. According to data collated from the Union ministry of youth affairs and sports, the Sports Authority of India funded nine venues for a total cost of Rs 2,460 crore, 146 per cent above the initial budget of Rs 1,000 crore.

‘First estimate sketchy’
Government officials, when asked how they would explain the 123 per cent increase in costs, told Business Standard the initial budget given in 2007 was “ad hoc and sketchy”. Later, the Commonwealth Games Federation gave a list of requirements and standards for the venues, which led to major escalation in the costs, they said.

SAI says the main reason behind this was substantial change in design, new additions and also the price index factor.

The cost of readying Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium went up by 35 per cent from the Rs 455 crore original estimate to the actual cost of Rs  961 crore incurred.

“There was 10,000 mt of steel used in JLN Stadium; its cost had increased significantly. A tunnel at the stadium was added later. We also had things like external development, hostel, SAI hall, etc in the stadium,” said Hardip Singh Kingra, special officer, Sports Authority of India.

In case of the Indira Gandhi Stadium, too, there were several areas not budgeted for initially, according to officials. It was built for Rs 669 crore; it was initially to be done up in Rs 113 crore.