Delhi Commonwealth Games to be first ever `green` games

Insisting that preparations for next year`s Commonwealth Games are on track, its organisers said the process to hand over stadia will start in January and everything will be in place by May, five months ahead of the event.

Port of Spain: Insisting that preparations for next year`s Delhi Commonwealth Games are on track, its

organisers today said the process to hand over stadia will start in January and everything will be in place by May, five months ahead of the multi-sport event. Addressing a Sports Breakfast on the sidelines of Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) here, Organising Committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi affirmed the commitment to hold the best ever Commonwealth Games that will have focus on environment. "These will be the first ever green Games ... become the benchmark for all multi-disciplinary games in future. These will be the best ever Games," said Kalmadi who outlined the preparations along with Sports Secretary Sindushree Khullar. Asked about the preparations of the Games, Kalmadi and Khullar told reporters later that the process to hand over the stadia will start in January and will be completed in a phased manner. The first stadium to be handed over to the Organising Committee will be Dhyan Chand Stadium, which will host hockey competitions. Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, the venue for the opening and closing ceremonies of the Games on October 3 and October 14 respectively, besides the track and field events will be handed over by May as some additional work is to be done on it. Kalmadi also listed some benefits of the Games like 2.5 million jobs that would be created, investment in green infrastructure, pro-active waste management, greening and offset and green ceremonies. With regard to traffic problems, Khullar said elaborate and meticulous plans are being worked out by the Delhi Traffic Police and athletes will be ferried in a dedicated lane. Also, the Delhi government will declare a holiday on October 14, for the closing ceremony, to reduce traffic on roads, said Khullar, who gave a detailed presentation outlining the progress made on various aspects of the Games. October 3 is a Sunday and less traffic is expected any way, Khullar said. Delhi Police will also be appealing to most of the offices to shut down on October 14, she said. Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Patrick Manning and Commonwealth Games Federation hosted the breakfast. Jamaica Prime Minister Bruce Golding, Australia Prime Minister Kevin Michael Rudd and Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, sports ministers from Commonwealth nations, Commonwealth Secretary Kamlesh Sharma and Commonwealth Games Federation officials, including President Michael Fennell, were present at the breakfast. PTI