'All rooms won't be ready before games'

The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has admitted that it will be able to deliver only half the rooms that it had promised in Vasant Kunj where Games delegates are to be accommodated. Moushumi Das Gupta reports.

The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has admitted that it will be able to deliver only half the rooms that it had promised in Vasant Kunj where Games delegates are to be accommodated.

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At Friday's meeting of the Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) on Commonwealth Games, DDA officials said that of the 3,179 upcoming flats in Vasant Kunj, they would be able to deliver just 1,600 of the promised rooms before the Games.

"The DDA has said by September 10 they will be able to provide just 1,600 rooms where the Games technical

officials will be accommodated," said Sindhushree Khullar, secretary, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.

An embarrassing situation considering that the delegates will start arriving in the Capital from September 15 onwards.

The EGoM also decided that testing of equipment at all Commonwealth Games venues will begin on September 1.

"We have directed all agencies involved in the preparation of the Commonwealth Games to hand over the venues to the Organizing Committee by August 31," said Khullar.

The developmetn authority was tasked to convert 3,179 of its upcoming flats in Vasant Kunj, a upscale locality in south-west Delhi, and Jasola in south Delhi to service apartments after it became clear last year that the 33 hotel sites that it auctioned won't be ready in time for the games.

Besides Union Urban Development minister S. Jaipal Reddy, the EGoM was attended by the Delhi chief minister Shiela Dikshit, Lieutenant Governor Tejinder Khanna, Union Sports minister M S Gill, Organising Committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi, Cabinet Secretary K M Chandrasekhar among others.