FRONT PAGE | Monday, December 21, 2009 | Email | Print | 
I am nervous about 2010 Games: Sheila
Staff Reporter | New Delhi
Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit has expressed nervousness over preparations for the 2010 Commonwealth Games. On Sunday, Dikshit said she was still not confident about the ongoing preparations, but hoped the work would be completed. The Chief Minister held a meeting of the Group of Ministers (GoM) in the national Capital to review progress of the preparations for the Games which will take place in Delhi from October 3-14.
It can be noted that Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) on Saturday expressed disappointment over the delays in building and refurbishing of main stadiums. Fennell was particularly worried about the delay in the construction of the SP Mukherjee Swimming Complex and the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, the latter to host the opening and closing ceremonies of the Games.
“I am not fully comfortable. I am nervous, but sab theek ho jayega,” said the Chief Minister. She said that she was impatient because the Government had a time-frame to work within (for the Commonwealth Games). Identifying construction of the stadia as a major area of concern, Dikshit said they were ‘most critical’ for successful hosting of the event. “Stadia have to be right. Because you may have a road which may not look pretty or a light in the street which may not be working but stadia are the most critical thing,” she said.
Asked about the criticism over the delay in various projects and the readiness of the city to host the event, Dikshit said, “We will be ready. We have got eight months to go. Actually nine months, but I said eight months. And you can see work going on all over Delhi...” The Delhi Government has undertaken massive infrastructure development projects worth thousands of crores of rupees as part of its preparations for the mega sporting event.
The construction work of over a dozen projects of 2010 Games is less than 50 per cent complete. Only 57 per cent of the Neela Hauz bridge work is complete while it is 46 per cent in the case of Ghazipur Grade Separator in East Delhi. The work of Barapullah Nallah project is around 56 per cent done and the ASI has put spanner of the construction citing recent ruling of the Delhi High Court. The work on IGIA terminal 3 runways is in its infancy. The underpass connecting Lodhi Colony to Thyagraja Stadium is not even half done. The construction between JLN Marg on Ring Road to Thompson Marg is nine per cent completed while UP Link Road is 27 per cent complete. Despite round the clock work, the construction of Salimgarh Fort project is completed 47 per cent.
The Chief Minister, who completed 11 years in office last week, strongly refuted BJP’s allegations that she had become arrogant after getting elected for the third term. “Where have I become arrogant, tell me? I will correct it there and then. I will say sorry. I appeared arrogant; I did not mean to be. But yes, I am impatient. And I am particularly impatient now because I know that we have a time-frame to work within (for the Commonwealth Games),” she said and added, “I am myself. If I had been arrogant I should have been arrogant the first time. The bastion of our opposition was broken. That is when I should have become arrogant. If I have not become arrogant in 10 years, why should I become arrogant in the 11th year,” said Dikshit. The Chief Minister also maintains that today's Delhi was much improved as compared to what it used to be 15 years back.
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