XIX COMMONWEALTH GAMES, DELHI

Presented by-

Abhinav Sharma

(Infrastructure management)

UIAMS, Panjab University

Bibek Jot Singh Sandhu

(Infrastructure management)

UIAMS, Panjab University

THE COMMONWEALTH GAMES 2010 – AN INTRODUCTION The XIX Commonwealth Games, were held in Delhi, India, from 3 to 14 October

2010.

A total of 6,081 athletes from 71 Commonwealth nations and dependencies competed in 21 sports and 272 events.

The opening and the closing ceremony of CWG took place at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Delhi.

The official Mascot of the game was “Shera”,

The motto of the Delhi game was "Come out and Play".

The theme song was Jiyo Utho Badho Jeeto composed by A.R Rehman

BRIEF HISTORY OF COMMONWEALTH GAMES The event was first held in 1930 under the title of “The British Empire Games. “

The event was renamed as the British Empire and Commonwealth Games in

1954.

The event was titled “Commonwealth Games” in 1978.

There are currently 54 members of the Commonwealth of Nations, and 71 teams participate in the Games.

INDIA’S BID TO THE CGF

On November 13, 2003, in Jamaica, the 2010 Commonwealth Games bid was awarded to Delhi, with 46-22 voting in favour of Delhi, against the city of Hamilton.

Indian officials made a last-minute offer of US $7.2 million (Rs. 32.4 crore) during the bidding process, which allegedly clinched the deal in India’s favour.

This was an offer to train athletes of all member countries of the Commonwealth (US $100,000 to each of the 72 members).

ORGANIZING COMMITTEE

The Organizing Committee of Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi  (OC CWG Delhi 2010) came into being on 10 February 2005, as a registered society under the Societies Registration Act 1860.

Indian Olympic Association president Suresh Kalmadi was appointed as head of the committee.

BENEFITS AND DEVELOPMENT AS A RESULT OF GAMES Construction of 24 flyovers and 75 aerobridges.

Construction of 1285 kms of international standard roads.

Construction of 11 world-class sports venues.

5000 new low-floor buses in Delhi.

80 new metro destinations.

Restoration of 46 national monuments.

INDIRA GANDHI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Costing nearly $1.95 billion, Terminal 3 has now improved airport passenger capacity to more than 37 million passengers a year.

A new runway has been constructed, allowing for more than 75 flights an hour. At more than 4400 meters long, it will be one of Asia's longest.

DELHI METRO

Delhi Metro expanded to accommodate more people and boost the use of public transport during the 2010 games.

The metro extended to Gurgaon and the Noida regions.

GREEN GAMES

The organizers signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United Nations Environment Programme to show the intention to host a "sustainable games" and to take the environment into consideration when constructing and renovating venues.

Thyagaraj Stadium is a key example of environmentally considered construction.

A “green helipad” constructed at the Commonwealth Games Village.

GAMES VILLAGE

The Games Village, was built by Emaar MGF, at a cost of US $230.7 million (Rs. 1,038 crore).

The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) offered a Rs. 700 crore bailout in May 2009 to the company to meet the costs of construction. This is probably the first ever

government bailout for a private realty company in India.

MEDALS TALLY

THE FOUR MOST TALKED ABOUT TANGIBLE BENEFITS FOR THE CITY OF DELHI FROM HOSTING THE CWG ARE: Development of infrastructure.

Employment generation.

Boost to tourism.

The creation of a clean, beautiful, vibrant, “world class” Delhi.

The event did not only improve sports infrastructure, but over all infrastructure in Delhi

FINANCIAL COST

The 2010 Commonwealth Games are the most expensive Commonwealth Games ever.

Business Today magazine estimated that the Games cost Rs. 300 billion (i.e US$ 6.8 billion)

The first budget for the Games approved by the Cabinet in April 2007 estimated the total expenditure of the Games at Rs. 3,566 crore ± Rs. 300 crore.

THE HUMAN COST OF “BEAUTIFICATION” Slum demolitions without rehabilitation.

Arbitrary arrests and detention of “beggars” and homeless people.

Destruction of livelihoods of hawkers, vendors who worked on the streets.

Inconvenience to the public.

CONTROVERSIES SURROUNDING BIG SPORTS EVENTS Controversies surrounding these events are mainly centered on the economic sense.

China had spent a reported $20 billion on infrastructure improvements ahead for 2008 Olympics.

Montreal 1976 Olympic Games: The city incurred billions in deficit. The debt was finally paid off in November 2006, i.e. 30 years later

CONTROVERSIES SURROUNDING BIG SPORTS EVENTS The citizens of Munich continue to pay a special tax to this day, to pay off debt

incurred in the 1976 Games (Preuss, 1998).

Qatar, host of the 2006 Asian Games, has spent an estimated $17 billion on the development.

The 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester were aimed primarily to “regenerate” the area which, had in recent years been

MELBOURNE 2006 COMMONWEALTH GAMES The initial bid for the Games was placed in 1998 at US $195 million but by the end of

1999, it had escalated to almost US $400 million.

In April 2003, the state government admitted that the Games budget had exploded to over US $1.1 billion.

CONSEQUENCE OF THE EXCESSIVE EXPENDITURE IN DELHI CWG

The Delhi government has hiked bus fares and water tariff.

Withdrawn subsidy on LPG cylinders.

Increased VAT on a number of items.

“We are broke” said Delhi Finance Minister, A. K.Walia in April 2010.

Have to pay Delhi Metro Rs. 758.87 crore, which is due on account of the

construction of Phase II.

The obvious question that results from this, is the cost justified, is yet to be answered conclusively either way.

CONTROVERSIES SURROUNDING XIX CWG, DELHI

Excessive budget overruns

Delays in completion of projects

Allegedly widespread corruption by officials of the Games Organizing Committee

On September 23, The Daily Telegraph UK showed photographs taken of child labour working on the Games sites.

CONTROVERSIES SURROUNDING XIX CGG, DELHI There was also multiple cases of items being rented for the 45 days for more money

than it would cost to actually buy the item.

For eg.: 72 golf carts were hired for  4.23 lakh (US$9,517.5) each, when they could have been purchased for  1.84 lakh (US$4,140) each.

In an incident, three Ugandan officials were injured when the car they were travelling in hit a security wheel stopper at the Games village.

WASTEFUL EXPENDITURE: WHAT’S THE JUSTIFICATION? Streetscaping of one street, Lodhi Road done for Rs. 18.55 crore.

“Snacks and other items” on 57 meetings of the OC Rs. 29.29 lakh.

Snacks and refreshments on a one-day meeting of the Executive Board: Rs 1.75 lakh.

WASTEFUL EXPENDITURE: WHAT’S THE JUSTIFICATION? A “green helipad” constructed at the Commonwealth Games Village costing Rs. 1.92

crore.

Creating signage of international standards in Delhi’s NDMC area at the cost of Rs. 40 crore.

10 lakh plants add “color” to the Games venue at the cost of Rs. 23.2 crore

The cost of overlays (furnishings) was Rs. 687.06 crore.

DEFICIENCIES IN PROJECT PLANNING OF DELHI CWG The budgetary commitment to the Games was apparently made without any detailed

cost-benefit analysis and social and environmental impact assessment.

Cost of the games far more than revenues generated.

POST CWG RECOMMENDATIONS

A full and detailed inquiry should be conducted into the finances and expenditure of the CWG.

The Government of India must have a detailed legacy plan for the Games.

National Human Rights Commission should conduct an immediate and comprehensive investigation into human rights violations related to the CWG.

POST CWG RECOMMENDATIONS

Adequate compensation must be paid to all those who have lost homes and livelihoods.

A comprehensive environmental and social impact assessment, along with a detailed cost-benefit analysis, must be conducted before any approval for such a large event is obtained.