Will the Capital be ready by 2010?

The Delhi government plans to spend Rs1314.40 crores on the Commonwealth Games 2010 to be held in the Capital. Yet, when the Commonwealth Games Federation president Michael Fennell visited the city, Delhi had to look away in embarrassment.

Though budgets have been made and projects conceptualised on paper, the ground reality is different. Most projects have not even begun. When told about the poor water and power situation in the Capital, sources said that Fennell began to look a bit worried during the meeting.

Sources further informed that Fennell bluntly asked if the water and power situation was as bad as the local media had made it out to be. Chief Minister Sheila Dixit reportedly convinced him that a dedicated power supply would be in place for the games. She also explained to him that the Sonia Vihar project was now functional and water would definitely not be a problem for the games.

“Though we got a lot of appreciation for the Melbourne closing of the commonwealth games, Fennell did ask us whether things would be in place by 2010. He emphasised that the world had huge expectations from Delhi. The team probably expected to see much more, but they were willing to take the CM’s word that things would be in place by 2010,” said a senior official.

On Wednesday, the CM showcased the rich cultural diversity of the Capital to Fennell and his team by taking them to dinner at the upscale Bistro village in Hauz Khas. A formal lunch has also been planned at the Taj on Thursday afternoon.