‘State govt said no to Commonwealth Games in Mumbai’

Mumbai was offered the 2010 Commonwealth Games in 2003, but the then Congress government of Sushilkumar Shinde let the opportunity pass for lack of funds, Indian Olympic Association chief Suresh Kalmadi said on Tuesday.

But Shinde contradicted Kalmadi, saying no such proposal had come before his cabinet.
The Games, budgeted at Rs10,000 crore, have been a big infrastructure boost for Delhi. Apart from 17 stadiums and 32 training centres, the national capital also has new roads, transport facilities, green cover and hotels.

Kalmadi, speaking at a function in the city, refuted reports that he had preferred Pune and Delhi to Mumbai. “Our first choice was Mumbai. When we approached the cabinet, they said it was financially unviable to host the event.”

In response, Shinde told DNA: “It is not true. As per my knowledge, he (Kalmadi) was in no capacity then to deal with the Games. Where does the question of a financial crisis arise? Hosting the Commonwealth Games is a matter of prestige. It is also an opportunity for earning good revenue.”

Shinde said : “We had organised a formula race on sea off the Oberoi Hotel, spending Rs4 crore. It was a huge success at the time. If we had the Games proposal, we would have grabbed it.”

A senior state sports department official alleged that it was Kalmadi who was interested in taking the Games to New Delhi. “The Games camps are being held in Pune and we have made a budgetary allocation of more than Rs2.5 crore. It was very much possible for the state to host the Games in Mumbai,” the official said.