AFI unhappy over `slow` pace of work on athletics track

Panaji: The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has expressed concerns over slow progress of work at the Bambolim stadium, which may miss its October 2 deadline for the Lusofonia Games to be held in November.

"We have found out that there is some slackening of activity. Goa will need to put in additional manpower to work this out," AFI secretary C K Valson, who inspected the facility at Bambolim on Tuesday, said. "Work must start on a war-footing and it is the responsibility of the government. More labour will be needed to work round the clock if it has to meet the deadline of October 2," he said. The biggest concern for the organisers is the damage that torrential rains have done to the first layer of the track that has been laid. The contractors were originally scheduled to lay all three layers of the track before the onset of the monsoon but delays have meant that only one layer was laid which has been left damaged due to the rain. "We noticed that the track was coming off because of the continuous rains, especially on the side where a drainage is constructed. The contractor laying the track has assured that he will re-do the area that is damaged and will meet the international standards," Valson said. A delegation of the Association of the Portuguese Speaking Olympic Committees or ACOLOP, who visited the site in May, were not happy with the progress of the work on the track. PTI