23 injured as foot overbridge collapses near Commonwealth Games stadium
New Delhi: At least 23 labourers were injured here on Tuesday when an
under-construction foot overbridge near the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, the main venue of the Commonwealth Games, collapsed. The condidition of three labourers is
reported to be very serious. The foot overbridge was to connect the JN stadium to a
car parking lot. Further details are awaited. Meanwhile, Tejendra Khanna visited
Commonwealth Games Village here on Tuesday to review the status of
preparedness, ahead of the mega sporting event to be held between October 3 to
14. The Mayor of the Games Village, the Principal Secretary to Prime Minister, the
Cabinet Secretary, the Chief Secretary of Delhi, the Vice-Chairman, DDA and other
senior officials were also present on this occasion.
While reviewing the status of preparedness at the Commonwealth Games Village, it
was noted that the international zone and the dining area were completely ready and
found acceptable to all the Commonwealth Games Associations. During the past few
days, certain deficiencies in the residential zone particularly pertaining to cleanliness
and minor rectifications had been pointed out by some delegates of CGAs, which
had been promptly attended to. It was observed that the manpower available for
cleaning and housekeeping have also been upgraded and increased and professionals
in the field had been inducted. Some of the decisions taken during the Lt. Governor's
visit were that Chief Engineer (Electrical), of the Delhi Development Authority
(DDA), assisted by other representatives of DDA and State Government, as well as
representatives of the BSES will be in full charge of ensuring uninterrupted supply of
power, in the Village comprising residential and international zone. Among other
important decisions it was decided that more manpower and resources would be
inducted, as required, into the cleaning and maintenance of apartments in towers.
One officer each from Delhi, Andaman & Nicobar Civil Service would be put in
charge of each tower to ensure complete coordination in all operations viz.
maintenance, cleaning etc. relating to that tower. A Command & Control Centre,
consisting of the Special Officers appointed by Government, Venue Administrator,
Venue Security Commander, other representatives of the Organizing Committee and
the Developer would coordinate all activities in all areas. Any Additional manpower
and other resources, as required, would be provided on top priority by the State
Government, DDA and MCD. The requirement of such manpower and resources
would be assessed and conveyed by the Command & Control Centre. It was also
decided that the Developer would immediately ensure that all maintenance and repair
work, as might be required in each tower, would be carried out promptly and on a
24x7 basis. In view of heavy rains, any requirements of dewatering in the area would
be promptly carried out by the Developer with assistance from MCD as needed.
The Lieutenant Governor, Cabinet Secretary and other senior Officers in the meeting,
expressed full confidence that with the above measures being implemented, the
deficiencies which have been noticed would be fully and promptly addressed to the
satisfaction of all arriving guests, a release issued by the Prime Minister's Office said.
Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Tuesday expressed concern over the delay in
finishing of infrastructural projects for the Games said the incessant rainfall in the
national Capital is hampering preparations for the upcoming mega event. Dikshit
reviewed various roads and bridges around the games sites today following incessant
rainfall in the city for the last three days. "We are conducting inspections. Whatever
faults there are, we will complete them by the next week. The slight rains have surely
caused some disruptions because of which work has become slow but despite that,
work is happening and we will complete it. Hence, we are conducting surveys," said
Dikshit. She also undertook a rapid inspection of the various spots after an
under-construction foot over-bridge today collapsed outside the Jawaharlal Nehru
stadium, the main venue of the Commonwealth Games, injuring 23 labourers.
The 12-day sporting extravaganza, which kicks off on October 3, is India's biggest
sporting event since the 1982 Asian Games in New Delhi. India is expecting about
two million tourists in New Delhi for the Games, as well as about 10,000 athletes
from 71 teams representing 54 Commonwealth member states.
Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) chief executive, Mike Hooper, on
Tuesday expressed disappointment over the ill preparedness of the 2010 Games
Village termed it as 'filthy'. Hooper said he hoped the condition at the
Commonwealth Games Village would improve in a couple of days. He said things
have started improving, but was not sufficient enough. "We have met on a daily basis,
my colleagues around the village, and myself, on a number of occasions, have met
with the organizing committee. We have emphasised the importance of addressing
the issue of the condition and the cleanliness of the Games Village, which I will have
to say, in many-many of hotels, am not going to pull any punches, were 'filthy' and so,
uninhabitable as is being stated by Fennel," said Hooper."Therefore, we were given
promises that this would be remedied by September 19, close business on
September 19. Unfortunately worst it is fair to say there was some progress,
certainly insufficient to satisfy the majority of the CGIs, who cannot be here and have
representatives here," he added, while addressing the media here today.
Hooper further said all the issues have to be addressed immediately and there was no
room for further delay. "We continue to work at the highest level as we possibly can,
I don't believe we can go much higher then the Cabinet of you country, to have the
issue addressed and that is the best they can come up, we want everybody is the
issue addressed, without further delay," said Hooper.
"So everybody when they start arriving, the athletes are arriving, they get the
environment that they were promised," he added. He said he hoped the situation
would improve in a couple of days, as the Cabinet secretary was himself taking note
of the situation. "I was pleased to hear from Suresh Kalmadi directly that the cabinet
secretary was at the village this morning and reviewing things for himself. So clearly,
he's taken the matter extremely seriously because it is serious and hopefully we'll see
some significant actions and improvements in the next two days because that must
happen," said Hooper. Hooper, however, said the Games Village had the potential to
be one of the best. "I said the village has the potential to be, I choose my words
carefully, the potential to be the best kind of village we have and I stand by that, it
still does. So we need get everyone focused, the deployment of the necessary
resources and to get it ready for the athletes. That's what's going to happen now,"
noted Hooper. The 12-day sporting extravaganza, which kicks off on October 3, is
India's biggest sporting event since the 1982 Asian Games in New Delhi.
India is expecting about two million tourists in New Delhi for the Games, as well as
about 10,000 athletes from 71 teams representing 54 Commonwealth member
states.
