JOIN USComplete work quickly: PM
Visiting the games venues along with Sports Minister M S Gill and Organising Committee Chairman Suresh Kalmadi, the prime minister inspected the facilities at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, the venue of opening and closing ceremonies.
He stayed at the stadium for over 20 minutes and was shown various facilities including playing fields, media centre, royal box, stands for spectators, security and other arrangements. Reporters were not allowed inside during the visit.
The prime minister’s visit assumes significance in the backdrop of the delay in completion of games-related infrastructure facilities such as roads, flyovers and metro lines. The Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium itself is undergoing renovation and only 35 days are left for the commencement of the mega sporting event. The stadium has been refurbished at a cost of a whopping Rs.9.6 billion (approximately $200 million).
Later, in a statement, the Prime Minister’s Office said: “The prime minister said that it was a beautiful stadium and he urged all authorities concerned to redouble their efforts to quickly complete whatever works remained as the people were expecting a spectacular and flawless opening to the Commonwealth Games.”
Meanwhile, the Government of Delhi, which is handling the construction and playing a major role in managing the event, seemed to have started distancing itself from the event.
Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Sunday told a news channel that confusion over who was responsible for the preparation of the games had caused many delays.
“There is a terrible problem of multiplicity of authority,” she said. Dikshit also said she had been stuck in traffic jams while trying to visit areas undergoing construction work.