Two statements will go down in the annuls of the history of Commonwealth Games: the arrogance of predicting it to the be the “best Games ever”; and the allegory of the ‘big fat Indian wedding’. Umpteen times, Games officials, the clichéd chorus led by OC chief Suresh Kalmadi, have parroted these words. The allegory being that like in any Indian wedding, there is chaos till the last minute, but after the first notes from the shehnai, everything falls in place. The unfortunate truth for the long suffering Indian citizen is this. That will most certainly not be the case, not by a long mile.
Date: 17 September… just 10 days from this Tuesday… foreign carriers start arriving at Terminal 3 of Indira Gandhi International Airport. They offload sportspersons from many of the Commonwealth countries, who have come with loads of apprehension.
They look up at the ceilings of the terminal… there are no leakages, which might have been what they were fearing considering the kind of media reports that have been going out in relation to everything and anything associated with this the 19th Commonwealth Games. There are no hiccups… And for sure, that arrival will remain as the most pleasant memory for the foreign athletes coming to Delhi for Games 2010.
The swank, refurbished airport is the only infrastructure that is fully ready, smashing to look at, definition of ‘state of the art’. For the rest, as they proceed to the Games Village, they are shocked.
The flyover-cum-Expressway leading out of Gurgaon area carry the red, air conditioned buses of the Delhi Transport Corporation, which eventually enter the city proper. The roads look like they had been carpet bombed in many areas. Rubble is lying around still, despite state chief minister Sheila Dikshit’s order that there will be none of that seen after 10 August.
Streetscaping is in progress, and all across the city there are hideous orange drapes covering up parts of the streets, with even more hideous yellow boards declaring with a perverse pride: “CWG 2010 work in progress”. Someone just forgot to add “Beware!”
In fact, how come SportzPower reported that there is little branding of CWG in place across the cityscape? Of course, there is… these yellow boards and orange drapes; sans, of course, Shera…
As and when the players reach the Games Village, however, they are in for the real deal. As of 7 September, there is not much completely ready.
The entry point to the Village passes by the parking area. As of now, it is still not ready, with rubble and dust piled all over.
The towering buildings divided into various blocks are imposing from the outside, say from the not-yet-ready flyover, which is the only passage way the ‘Villager’ would have to use to commute. That flyover – Barapulla Nullah flyover – too is not ready till date.
At the parking lot as of now there are sparkling red buses and Tata Indigo vehicles ready and waiting: only the second of the three basic necessities that are ready. For it is evident that till now, there is all manner of work, from ground level construction to finishing touches that are going on in every single block, if not in every single building.
After arrival, if the players look for their used clothes to be given to the laundry, they will in all likelihood be dismayed: none of the 550 washing machines are in place till now. And there is no information on the contractor for the laundry service.
For some fresh broth and bread now? That will be there, for the Commonwealth Games Federation bosses have ensured that one of the best consortia, the Delaware North-Taj Sats group, has been given the 24X7 F&B contract for the Village.
There will be one problem though, despite DelawareNorth-Taj: the most desired food for players from most Commonwealth countries will not be there. If they look for beef steak, they will find none.
Indian Hospitality (atithee devo bhavo, and all that song and dance included) does not allow the politics of religion to be transcended and ensure for the invitees what they need. The ’beef war’ between the left-of-Centre Congress party and the ultra-Hinduist Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party has given beef ‘a cold shoulder’, if you please.
Down at the Village grounds, after the repast, the swimming pool is still not ready, and a welcome recreation is beyond the reach of the athletes.
The only alternative is now to get some fitness done, but where are the gyms? Equipment is still held up. Apparently, the massive scanning and X-ray machines which will scan the entire trucks carrying heavy equipment have not been installed by Delhi Police. City chief cop YS Dadwal had two months ago said these will not be brought in till late, but how late is not too late? No one knows.
So then back to the luxury of the rooms… tomorrow for some practice, then?
Here’s wishing them Good Night, for tomorrow will be another surprise: the timing equipment have not been set up!
Date: 18 September… Twenty-four hours gone after their arrival. How many of them really feel assured that 3 October will mark the launch of the “best ever Games”? Anyone game for a straw poll?
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