Upgrading of all Games venues to be completed in 15 days: CPWD

New Delhi: The Central Public Works Department, the main construction arm of the government, today

said that upgrading of all venues for the Commonwealth Games will be completed in a fortnight. "We have already completed 7 of the 10 Games venues. The remaining three will be completed in a fortnight," Director General of CPWD B K Chugh told reporters here on the 156th foundation day of the organisation. The venues which remain uncompleted so far are the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, the SPM Swimming Pool complex and the new weightlifting stadium in the Nehru Stadium complex. Chugh said that the civil work in all these venues have been completed and only the peripheral work like greenery, pavements, laying of cables was being done which is expected to be over in another 15 days. The CPWD DG said the JLN Stadium, where the opening and closing ceremony along with the major events would be held, has an innovative design for roof over seating tier. State-of- the-art technology has been used for sports lighting. "This would be the largest membrane roof structure in the world," Chugh said. Membrane roofing is used to prevent leaks and move water off the roof. Asked about the delay in construction of the main stadium, he said an additional work of tunnel construction was given which delayed the project for a while. An air-conditioned tunnel for the performers of the opening and and closing ceremonies has been completed inside the stadium below the athletes` track and arena. "This requirement came quite late and to accommodate this tunnel, all the remaining works related to roof, track etc had to be rescheduled," he said. "Cable supported halogen balloons would also be placed inside the stadium which required a base, thus delaying the project," he added. PTI