Ceiling parts fall at main CWG venue, govt says nothing to worry
In further embarrassment, parts of a ceiling at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, the main Commonwealth Games venue, fell today but the Centre and Delhi government remained unfazed by the all-round attack over such incidents and instead targeted the media for highlighting 'minor glitches'.
Union Urban Development Minister Jaipal Reddy and Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit made light of the criticism over the preparations and counselled the media to "see the positive aspects" of the mega sporting event rather than portraying a "negative image".
Talking in unison, they insisted that the Games were "not collapsing" and all problems were being addressed.
"I would like you tell very categorically that these minor glitches and hitches do come around...but to make out as the whole thing is collapsing - I am sorry, we do not agree with that," Dikshit told reporters.
"There may be minor glitches. We should try to remove the shortcomings...There may be water dripping somewhere. A wall may collapse due to rain. That does not mean the whole Games is bad," she said.
This assertion came on a day when three tiles of the false ceiling fell in the Ambedkar Weightlifting Auditorium in the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.
Nobody was, however, injured in the incident which occurred a day after a 95-m hanging bridge, being constructed for the Games, collapsed outside the Nehru Stadium, injuring 27 people.
Reddy said personnel from Telecommunications Consultants India Limited (TCIL) were working on the false ceiling to lay cables when some part of it fell.
"All these (incidents) are not obstacles. These are hiccups," Reddy said, seeking to downplay the incidents.
"There will be some problems. There are some problems. But they are not insurmountable. If there is any concern or there is any problem, they will be addressed to," said an unfazed Dikshit who is under increased attack after yesterday's bridge collapse.
