The Key Points
-> The original estimate was around Rs 1,900 crores, later revised to Rs 10,000 crores
-> Most sporting venues, including the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium (track and field) and the
swimming complex will not be ready by the August 1 deadline.
-> At the table tennis facility, a false ceiling collapsed.
-> At the weightlifting site, new vinyl flooring is already peeling.
-> The brand new shooting range was inaugurated in May, but embankments have collapsed.
-> Trial weightlifting and swimming events had to be canceled, because the sites were not ready.
-> The swimming stadium was inaugurated a few days back, but got flooded.
-> There are reports of water seepage in the boxing stadium.
-> The bidding process for catering was canceled, and will now be hurried through (read higher
costs and less choice!).
-> At Khan Market, brand new granite pavements were too slippery and have been dug up
again!
-> Subways at Connaught Place cannot be finished on time, and will be boarded up.
-> Not even a third of the 34 towers ITDC had to furnish in the Games Village are complete.
Incidentally, their excuse is “inadequate labour force”.
Commonwealth Games organizing committee treasurer Anil Khanna was forced to resign from his post on Thursday, the day TOI highlighted the blatant case of conflict of interest in which the contract for laying the artificial tennis turf was given to a company whose distributor in India is headed by his son. The OC has terminated its contract with Australia-based marketing agency SMAM - which was given the job of bringing in sponsors for the Games - with immediate effect on the ground of "non-performance".
Again, it was TOI which highlighted how SMAM was set to get 15-23% commission on money given by PSU sponsors, none of which were brought in by SMAM. On a day when the OC appeared focussed on fixing blame, if only to lower the heat on chairman Suresh Kalmadi, it suspended his key aide and Games joint director general T S Darbari, whose name has figured in the case involving forged emails and inflated payoffs to the London-based AM Films. The other person whose name has come up in this scam, Sanjay Mahindroo, is no longer with the OC.
Surprisingly, another joint director general M Jeychandren was also suspended. Jeychandren was the treasurer for the Queen's Baton Relay (for which AM Films was paid off). His name has, however, not figured so far in the controversy. Some insiders say he has been made a scapegoat. The case against Darbari and Jeychandren has been referred to the Enforcement Directorate by the OC, Games spokesman Lalit Bhanot told a crowded press conference. Kalmadi ducked the press meet, though it was said earlier that he would address it.
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