Delhiites have learnt a lot since the Commonwealth Games

The Commonwealth Games were expected to be a catalyst for making Delhi a better and more tourist-friendly city. How much did it succeed?

Manish Chatrath Chairman, Delhi Tourism and Transport Development Corporation

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The Commonwealth Games were expected to be a catalyst for making Delhi a better and more tourist-friendly city. How much did it succeed?
Delhi has seen a huge spurt in infrastructure such as new flyovers and street furniture. Also, we got the Terminal 3 at the Delhi Airport which is one of the finest in the world.

Did the Commonwealth Games help bring Delhi at par with other international cities?
No one city can be 100% perfect and we are not 100% perfect either but we are trying to grow. Also, Delhiites have learnt a lot and I find that people are more patient on roads, drive in lanes and don't honk too much.

Has the Games affected tourist traffic coming to Delhi?
There has been a substantial increase in tourist traffic in the last two years. Delhi has now become a cultural hub too and we have a busy social calendar for the whole year.

Has Delhi become safer for tourists?
Tourists feel much safer now and there have been no big crime against tourists in the last two years.

Delhi was expected to get 40,000 rooms for the Games, apart from a large number of bed-and-breakfast establishments.
The number of hotels that have come up in Delhi-NCR is huge. Bed-and-breakfast is not doing too well but are still operating and we need to propagate them.

Delhi Tourism's Hop on, Hop off buses are not doing better either.
HoHo is doing average and I feel Delhiites should become a part of it. They should use it to know about the city's sites and heritage.