All Games venues ready: Lalit Bhanot

NEW DELHI, 9 Sept 2010: Allaying doubts about the readiness of the October 3-14 Commonwealth Games venues, Organising Committee (OC) secretary general Lalit Bhanot on Thursday said that all venues are ready. 

"International bodies (concerned) have certified that all venues are fit to host events," Bhanot said in an interaction with mediapersons on Thursday. "Though there was some delay in the completion of some venues, every stadium is completely ready now," he stated. Saying that the stadiums for the Games are world class, he said: "These stadiums can host events like the Olympics and world championships." Chairman of the OC's media and publicity committee Tarlochan Singh said all stadiums were Games-ready with all personnel in place. "All venue managers are in position and the Organising Committee headquarters building is getting vacant by the day," he said. Chef-de-mission of the Indian contingent Bhubaneswar Kalita said that chefs-de-mission of all the 71 participating nations have already visited all the venues. "I too have been regularly visiting the venues," he added. Regarding the Commonwealth Games village, of which much has been written about, Bhanot said that International Olympic Committee (IOC) members have hailed the village as the best ever in the history of the Games. "There is a 400-metre relay track and an Olympic size swimming pool within the village complex for training by athletes," he said. The village will officially open September 23 afternoon when the Indian contingent, led by Kalita, will enter the complex to take residence for the quadrennial extravaganza. Bhanot also added that food at the Games village will be officially catered from September 15. To a query on the number of people who will be involved in running the Games, Bhanot said: "I would say around 110,000 people overall. The Delhi government is also providing 570 air-conditioned buses for the Games." Asked about security threats during the Games, Kalita said that he has already met all 71 chefs-de-mission and there has been no issue in this regard. Stating that he personally met the security heads of Australia, New Zealand and England, Kalita said: "My message to all participating nations is - come to India and play well." 

Source: The Times of India