Delhi CWG 2010 (3-14Oct): 9 Australian athelets caught doping

[Pintu]

The Canadian Press: Leander Paes urges governments to back Commonwealth Games in Delhi amid concern

Leander Paes urges governments to back Commonwealth Games in Delhi amid concern

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS (CP) – 17 hours ago

AUCKLAND, New Zealand — Indian tennis star Leander Paes has appealed to New Zealand and other Commonwealth governments to set aside security fears and send teams to October's Commonwealth Games in Delhi.

Paes, who played recently in Auckland's Heineken Open, is one of a number of Indian sporting stars charged with promoting the games. He said every possible step would be taken to ensure the safety of athletes and appealed to Commonwealth governments to trust organizers' security efforts.

"I'm sure everything that's possible will be done, so please, come forward and experience my country," Paes said in an interview with the Sunday News. "There is terrorism all around the world, it's not just something that we have in India.

"There will be high security measures taken at the Commonwealth Games because it's like an Olympics or Asian Games. I am sure the security will be fantastic. India is a great country, we have a lot to show for ourselves as far as tourism, business and sport goes."

New Zealand and Australia have both recently indicated they are satisfied with security arrangements for the games but have said the security situation was constantly being monitored.

Paes said the level of threat in India was manageable.

"I am 100 per cent certain that it will be safe," he said.

"Anti-terrorism security is everywhere in the world, it's not just in Mumbai because something happened there recently. It happens in Australia, New York, Madrid, London and Paris.

"This generation around the world lives under constant threat. It's all about how you look at it, security and the way we approach such situations. Once we get our economy doing better I think there will be less terrorism worries around."

Paes, 36, is the winner of 42 ATP doubles titles and will likely compete in tennis at the Delhi Games.

 

[seiko]

The CWG was a unnecessary expense for us at this time..we are on a path of devalopment and show offs like this are unnecessary..The only good thing happened is that the infrastructure of Delhi saw a rapid change..otherwise I dont know what is the benefit from this?And if the constructions of the projects will not be completed at time..we will become a laughing matter for other people especially our neighbors.. just my 2 cents

 

[Rage]

Just read this today. Well, at least SOMETHING seems to be going right...


India unveils first Commonwealth Games venue

(AFP) – 1 day ago

NEW DELHI — India threw open its first Commonwealth Games stadium over the weekend with a promise to deliver the rest of the venues in time for the October event in New Delhi.

"I am confident everything will be in place in time," sports minister Manohar Singh Gill said after inaugurating the refurbished Dhyan Chand National Hockey Stadium on Sunday.

The stadium, named after an Indian field hockey legend, was used for the 1951 and 1982 Asian Games and will play host to the 12-nation men's World Cup from February 28 to March 13.

The 20,000-seater complex in central Delhi has four floodlight towers, two synthetic match pitches and one practice pitch, and will be used for the October 3-14 Commonwealth Games.

"A beginning has been made and you will now see the 10 remaining competition venues being completed one after another," Gill told reporters.

"Yes, we could have finished the work a year in advance to get the facilities tested, but at least we can ensure that the venues will come up well before the Games start."

The Commonwealth Games Federation has repeatedly expressed concern about the slow pace of work for the Games, which will involve 6,000 athletes drawn from the former British Empire competing in 17 sports.

Federation president Mike Fennell said in December he was distressed by a report by the CGF evaluation commission that two major venues would not be ready until June, barely three months before the opening ceremony.

The commission said that work on the Nehru stadium, where the opening and closing ceremonies and the athletics programme will be held, and the swimming complex, was way behind schedule.

Copyright © 2010 AFP. All rights reserved.


http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jPLLBTCGelj6LbwnKc0e7-24MaoA?index=0&ned=ca

 

[NSG_Blackcats]

CWG 2010 update

 

[NSG_Blackcats]

Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range opens on 31st January 2010​

Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports informed that Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range, Commonwealth Games Venue for shooting competitions, is set to open in the Capital on Sunday 31st January 2010. Dr. M.S.Gill, Union Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports, will dedicate the up graded and renovated shooting ranges to the nation.

Actually ,Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range at Suraj Kund Road, New Delhi was built for 9th Asian Games 1982. The Range was named in the honor of Maharaja of erstwhile princely state of Bikaner, Dr Karni Singh who has been a legendary shooter in the Indian shooting circuit. A prodigy in shooting, Maharaja Karni Singh was conferred with the prestigious Arjuna award in 1961 for his impeccable shooting skills. He was also conferred with a silver medal at the 38th World Shooting Championship in 1962.

The construction work at the Range was started on 25th October, 2008 with a financial projection of Rs. 150 Crore and completed in 13 months. All existing structures were demolished and completely new ranges with state-of-the-art technology have been constructed. The earlier separate ranges for Trap & Skeet are now converted into new composite ranges for Trap & Skeet with state-of-the-art scoring equipment.

FACILITIES CREATED AT NEW SHOOTING RANGE
• 10 M Centrally Air-conditioned indoor shooting range with 80 shooting points; seating capacity of 500 for pistol and small bore rifle.
• 25 M range with 50 shooting points for pistol; seating capacity of 500.
• 50 M range, which is the largest, with 80 shooting points ; seating capacity for 500
• Six composite shotgun ranges for Trap & Skeet; total seating capacity of 2000.
• Newly constructed air-conditioned armory building; fitted with secured doors and other equipment for storing arms and ammunition.
• Shooting Points equipped with LCD displays which will flash the scores
• State of the art Electronic Target & Scoring system supplied by Suis Ascor for rifle and pistol ranges and Laporte for trap & skeet ranges.

The newly built Range now provides a world-class sport venue for the Commonwealth Games Shooting competition, to be held in Delhi in October 2010 as it meets the requirement of Commonwealth Games Federation and the International Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF). The venue shall leave a legacy that provides a first class sporting venue for the citizens of our country participating in sport at local, national & International level. Before the main Commonwealth Games in October 2010, Commonwealth Shooting Championship will be held at these ranges from 17th Feb to 28th Feb 2010.

FEATURES OF NEW SHOOTING RANGE

• Green Campus spread over a vast area of 72 acres in the backdrop of Adilabad Fort.
• FOP (Field of play) of T & S ranges to have a backdrop of a majestic fort (Adilabad fort)
• All the ranges are equipped with lighting facility to provide 2200 Lux of light for high definition TV coverage.
• Minimum hard pavement provided to allow Maximum greenery. Over 1000 new trees planted.
• Building & structures complying with the requirements of International Sports Association in terms of geometry & strength.
• Seating design to achieve optimum sight lines.
• Automatic electronic scoring target systems recognized by ISSF for Olympics, World Cup & World Championship.
• Use of special Rubber wood in bullet catchers.
• Air-conditioned lounges of all ranges.
• Energy saving VRV system for air-conditioning.
• Use of natural lighting with heat resistant glazing system.
• Electricity through two different grids with 100% power back-up.
• External development in conformity with local undulating terrain.

Source

 

[Sridhar]

India shoots two gold at Commonwealth event


New Delhi: India won gold at the Commonwealth Shooting Championship in New Delhi on Friday when Gagan Narang and PT Raghunath took the top spot in the men's 10m air rifle event.
Gagan shot a score of 599 which is the new meet record while Raghunath scored 594 points.
Their score of 1193 as a pair is also a meet record. The Indian duo beat England who won silver after coming at the second spot by eight points.
Indian won another gold when Anisa Sayyed and Anuraj Singh took the first place in the 25mt sports pistol woman pairs.
Virat Singh and Bapu Vanjare won a silver in the men's 50mt free pistol pairs.


http://ibnlive.in.com/news/india-shoots-gold-at-commonwealth-event/110382-5.html

 

[Vinod2070]

Great! So the games started!

I didn't notice much reporting in newspapers around this event. May be due to the South Africa series.

 

[Pintu]

http://www.ptinews.com/news/533711_Talkatora-opens-for-boxers-ahead-of-C-wealth-C-ship

Talkatora opens for boxers ahead of C'wealth C'ship

STAFF WRITER 12:12 HRS IST

New Delhi, Feb 24 (PTI) The Talkatora Indoor Stadium was today inaugurated amid much fanfare and will be thrown open to Indian boxers preparing for the Commonwealth Championships by March 1 to help them get a feel of the arena ahead of the March 10 to 18 event.

The dome-shaped arena, which would also host the boxing competitions of the Commonwealth Games later this year, has been renovated at a cost of Rs 150 crore.

Inaugurated by Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit and Commonwealth Games Organising Committee (OC) chairman Suresh Kalmadi today, the stadium's seating capacity has, however, come down from 3000 to 2700 after the renovation.

"It belongs to the boxers now. They can come here and practice for the Commonwealth Championships. It's theirs," Kalmadi said.

"It's a world-class facility and meets all the requirements set by the Commonwealth Games Federation," he added.

 

[Pintu]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...-sporting-destination/articleshow/5612278.cms

Success of CWG will project Delhi as sporting destination
PTI, Feb 24, 2010, 06.36pm IST

NEW DELHI: With Commonwealth Games just a few months away, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit On Wednesday said successful hosting of the event will help the city project itself as a global destination for such sporting extravaganza.

Dikshit, who faced criticism for the city's tardy preparation for the Games, said all efforts are on to make it a "memorable event" so that Delhi could hope to host bigger sporting events in the future.

Indian Olympic Association chief Suresh Kalmadi, who is also chairman of the Organizing Committee of the Commonwealth Games, had said India could bid for the 2020 Olympics.

The Chief Minister was speaking after inaugurating the renovated Talkatora Indoor Stadium which will be the venue for boxing competitions during the Commonwealth Games to be held from October 3 to 14.

Elaborating on various infrastructure development projects, she said the city must seize the opportunity to present itself as "a major destination for the international sporting events."

The Delhi Government has undertaken several key infrastructure development projects as part of its preparation for the mega event. The total cost of the infrastructure projects has been pegged at Rs 15,000 crore.

Describing the dome-shaped arena of the stadium as a unique piece of modern sports architecture, the Chief Minister said the new sports facility block adjacent to the stadium has been built using environment-friendly materials.

Kalmadi was also present on the occasion. The stadium, having a capacity of 2,700 spectators, will also host the Commonwealth Boxing Championships to be held from March 10.

Dikshit said the stadium has been designed and constructed as per international standards.

Officials said a number of environmental-friendly material and energy efficient devices have been used in the sports facility block to make it a green building.

The stadium has been renovated at a total cost of Rs 150 crore.

 

[Pintu]

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com...hare-in-sports-budget/articleshow/5620898.cms

Union Budget 2010: Commonwealth Games get lion's share in sports budget
26 Feb 2010, 1847 hrs IST, IANS

NEW DELHI: The October Commonwealth Games got the lion's share in the union budget allocation for sports in 2010-11, though the overall outlay is down to Rs.3,565 crore from last year's Rs 3,706 crore.

The Commonwealth Games (CWG) Oct 3-14 have been allocated Rs 2,069 crore, earmarking Rs.378 crore for the preparation of teams.

Welcoming the budget proposals of 2010-11, Union Youth Affairs and Sports Minister M S Gill said: "I am very happy that the finance minister consistently supported sports and the CWG. I am fully funded."

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and the Sports Authority of India (SAI) are allocated Rs 1,175.54 crore while Rs.30 crore go for the equipments and furnishings of stadia.

For the high definition coverage of the Games, the government has allocated Rs 82 crore.

The government has also taken a serious note of doping in sports and set aside Rs 11.50 crore for National Dope Test Laboratory, Rs.3 crore for National Anti-Doping Agency, and Rs 50 lakh for World Anti-Doping Agency.

The National Sports Development Fund will have Rs 15 crore.

 

[1.44]

Streetside dhabas lose to Games​

NEW DELHI: In a move that will hit the livelihood of lakhs of people and completely change the city's street-food culture, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi has started removing all illegal dhabas as part of an anti-encroachment drive before the Commonwealth Games. There are an estimated 20,000 dhabas in the city, of which 70-80% — around 14,000 to 16,000 — are deemed illegal.

N K Yadav, MCD health officer, said a special drive against roadside eateries had been launched. "Deputy commissioners of all 12 city zones have been asked to remove encroachments on public land. Illegal dhabas are part of the drive. Removal of these dhabas has nothing to do with the HC order."

In 2008, Delhi high court had asked the civic agency to remove all eateries operating on encroached land within 30 days from October 16 of that year. In response, MCD had said that it would come up with a policy for such eateries.

Under the new policy, the civic agency said it would start issuing licences to dhaba owners with legal establishments. In addition, kiosks and stall owners could also get licences issued by MCD. Since most of the existing dhabas function from public land, MCD says removing these illegal eateries is part of its anti-encroachment drive.

The MCD had also claimed in 2008 that it would carry out a survey to determine the number of illegal dhabas in the city. This was never conducted.

MCD's press and information director, Deep Mathur confirmed the move. "The illegal dhabas are liable to be removed without serving any notice to them as they are considered encroachments. MCD can only issue licences to eating houses which have a covered roof. We have been told to remove all encroachments before the Commonwealth Games."

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...-dhabas-lose-to-Games/articleshow/5665154.cms​

 

[1.44]

Body scanner to make India debut at IGI​

NEW DELHI: Passengers looking forward to flying out of IGI's upcoming terminal (T3) can expect more than just exposure to global standards. In a first for Indian airports, the government has decided to install the controversial body scanner on a trial basis.

"The ministry is considering installing body scanners at IGI on a trial basis once the new terminal is commissioned," aviation minister Praful Patel told Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.

The technology promises foolproof security checks by producing an image of a passenger's body for securitymen to check for hidden objects.

Technology for body scan not yet finalized

T3 is scheduled to be inaugurated in the first week of July and fully operational soon after that. Since body scanners have raised serious issues with many questioning the alleged breach of privacy and health impact of radiation, aviation minister Praful Patel added a word of caution.

Patel said the government is yet to finalize the type of technology to be deployed as the proposal is still in initial stages. "Appropriate safeguards and certification for privacy and health issues will be incorporated," he said.

After Delhi, Mumbai could be the next airport to get these scanners. Airport operators in India are themselves unsure about the privacy issues being generated by body scanners. Apart from that, they are also unsure of the health impact of the exposure of radiation to frequent fliers.

"We have our reservations. But being a sensitive security issue, we would like the government to address all concerns sensitively. Our intelligence and security agencies have advocated deployment of body scanners at airports and we will do as told," said an airport operator on condition of anonymity.

Some airports globally have started using this controversial scanning system and at present ask only suspicious passengers to go through them. If such passengers decline to be subjected to the scanner test, they are not allowed to board aircraft.

London Heathrow, for instance, deployed body scanners soon after a Nigerian national managed to board a Detroit-bound aircraft from Amsterdam's Schiphol airport with explosives strapped on him last December. Schiphol has body scanners and France and Italy could also use this technique at their airports. The West has worked out an interim code for securitymen that mandates passengers will not be asked to pass through body scanners on the basis of gender, race or ethnic origin. India will now have to devise its own code of conduct.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...ke-India-debut-at-IGI/articleshow/5665129.cms

Not a best time to go commandoclap

 

[Sridhar]

Transport gets lion’s share



NEW DELHI: Improving the public transport system in Delhi continues to be high on the priority list of Delhi government as it allocated Rs 4224 crore, about 38% of the total Plan outlay, to the transport sector. Though no new scheme has been announced, the funds will be utilized for procuring new buses for DTC, setting up a GPS-based automatic vehicle tracking system and development and maintenance of bus depots, shelters and ISBTs. Funds have also been set aside for a portion of Delhi Metro’s Phase II, which will be operational by September this year.

To augment Delhi’s bus-based public transport, Delhi government had procured 3,775 low-floor buses at a cost of Rs 2,019 crore. Of these, about 2,300 buses have already been delivered and another 1,475 buses will be added by August. An outlay of Rs 675 crore is proposed in the budget to purchase the new buses. If everything goes according to plan, DTC will run over 6,000 buses and the first cluster of corporatization — the replacement for Bluelines — will be in place before the Games.

After getting new buses, the major challenge before the government will be to improve efficiency of DTC so that more people shift to buses and public transport from private vehicles. This will reduce congestion on Delhi roads. To improve the functioning of DTC, the government has taken a decision to create a Special Purpose Vehicle under the Companies Act 1956 which will maintain and develop ISBTs, bus depots and bus shelters. The DTC, then, will concentrate only on improving efficiency of the bus service, management of buses and route allocations. DTC is also planning to start Express Line, a fast point-to-point bus service on the lines chartered services.

All buses in the city will be equipped with GPS so that their location, speed and punctuality can be monitored in real-time. The service will also be used to make the system more reliable as this data will be used by a passenger information system (PIS) to inform people about the movement of buses and the expected time of their arrival.
The budget also factors in expansion of Delhi Metro as a sum of Rs 1,260 crore will be used to fund the upcoming lines — Inderlok to Mundka, Central Secretariat to Gurgaon via Qutab, Central Secretariat to Badarpur and Airport Express Line.

[email protected]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Transport-gets-lions-share-/articleshow/5713617.cms

 

[Pintu]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...-forces-during-Games-/articleshow/5719742.cms

British security experts to help Indian forces during Games
PTI, Mar 24, 2010, 07.27pm IST

LONDON: Britain will send a high-level team of security experts to New Delhi during the Commonwealth Games this year to assist the Indian security forces, Home Minister P Chidambaram has said.

"They (UK) are going to send a team to assist Indian forces for the Commonwealth Games. I said yes," Chidambaram, who was in the UK on an official visit, said last night before leaving for home.

Chidambaram said issues related to police cooperation and security of Commonwealth Games figured during his meeting with his British counterpart Alan Johnson.

"We discussed co-operation. He suggested an MoU on police co-operation. I said yes. There is nothing wrong with the MoU, but we must have more practical cooperation."

"There are a number of areas where we can co-operate at practical levels between the agencies, forensic science labs, our scientists and technicians can get a chance to work with their scientists and technicians," the Home Minister, who also met Foreign Secretary David Miliband, said.

After the meeting yesterday, Johnson said he had a productive meeting with Chidambaram "where we discussed a range of issues including counter-terrorism, migration, organised crime and police cooperation."

Chidambaram also had a meeting with the Prime Minister's Foreign Policy Advisor Simon McDonald.

"They had a constructive discussion on a range of bilateral and foreign policy issues, building on the strong UK-India relationship," a Downing Street spokesman said.

The Home Minister also had indepth discussions with chiefs of key counter-terrorism and security institutions including Mi5 and Mi6, Britain's internal and external intelligence agencies and the Scotland Yard.

 

[ajtr]

CommonWealth Games 2010 to be 'solar powered' by Reliance

NEW DELHI: Reliance Industries (RIL) on Wednesday said it has commissioned the country's first one-megawatt (MW) solar plant to power a stadium

to be used in the upcoming CommonWealth Games.

The company's solar energy initiative, RIL Solar Group has "successfully implemented and commissioned 1-MW solar plant on the roof of the Thyagaraj Stadium here," RIL said in a press statement.

Thyagaraj Stadium is planned to be a model green stadium and will host Netball competition in the upcoming games.

RIL Solar Group has also implemented power plants in the R K Khanna Tennis Complex as solar LED street and garden lights in the Commonwealth Games Village. "With these, RIL Solar Group has installed 100 per cent of the solar PV power generating equipment for the CommonWealth Games 2010," it said.

The solar initiative is one of the major ones to compensate for carbon-di-oxide (CO2) emissions to be released through the game.

RIL Solar Group installed and commissioned the country's first 1-MW solar plant in a record duration of less than 3 months. The power plant is expected to generate around 1.4 million units of electricity per year.

It would cater to the power requirements of the stadium and the surplus would be fed to the grid. The solar power generated through 1 MW solar PV power plant at the Thyagaraj Stadium is expected to result in emission reduction of more than 1,200 tons of CO2 per year.

The Group has also implemented three 2.6 KWp solar PV power plants on the roofs of individual tennis courts in the R K Khanna Tennis Complex, which will play host to the tennis event during the games.

Further, there are 34 back-up solar PV systems of 3 KWp each along with 180 solar LED street and 500 garden lights in the Commonwealth Games Village, which will house athletes, coaching and support staff.

Commenting on the achievement, RIL Chairman and Managing Director Mukesh Ambani said, "We have always believed that the renewable energy space is a natural extension of our strengths in the conventional energy platform. The nature of technical expertise and project execution demonstrated in developing the solar power infrastructure is a defining achievement for our Solar Group."

 

[RAM]

UN praise for India's pollution monitoring system for Commonwealth Games

NEW DELHI: A pollution monitoring system developed by Indian scientists has come in for praise from the United Nations as an important step to ensure clean air during the Commonwealth Games. The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), a specialised agency of the UN, said the System of Air Pollution Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) will serve as an example within India, South Asia and globally.

Aimed at managing air quality, it has been developed by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune. "The WMO recognises SAFAR as a very important activity in the region and will make all efforts to get international visibility for the project," L. Jalkanen, head of the WMO's Atmospheric Environment Research Division, wrote in a letter to SAFAR project director Gurfan Beig in March. The UN recognition holds significance as some athletes have hinted at skipping the Games, as they fear that Delhi's air is unsafe to breathe. Scientists at IITM are elated and confident that the system will help in ensuring clean air during the Games, dubbed as the first ever Green Games. "SAFAR will make India one of the few countries to take a big leap in environmental research," Beig told. "The system will tell us the quality of air at a given moment and also what it will be 24 hours later, thus alerting people and helping them avoid immediate exposure to unhealthy air."

SAFAR will provide information on air quality on an hourly basis and forecast pollution levels 24 hours in advance through wireless colour digital display panels located at 11 key points in the city during the Games.

"On any day, if the pollution level is high, the Delhi government might order closing of shops or reducing traffic flow," Indian Meteorological Department director Ajit Tyagi told. Only a few developed countries have the technical knowhow to use such a system. It was used during the Olympic Games in Beijing and also at the last Commonwealth Games in Melbourne. The Indian capital is among the most polluted cities in the world. Its major problem is an ever-growing number of cars, three- and two- wheelers, which occupy a staggering 75 percent of the road space, although only 20 percent of the commuting public use them. Delhi has over five million vehicles and another one million come to the metropolis from towns in the national capital region in adjoining states. China had a tough time battling air pollution during the Olympic Games last year and there are doubts whether Delhi can be as effective as Beijing in enforcing traffic curbs, raising emission standards and stopping Games' construction work well in time to improve air quality.

SAFAR will provide air quality levels in a four-kilometre stretch around the Games village and other major venues. Instruments like ozone and carbon monoxide analysers and real time analysers for various other pollutants would be used for collecting the data. The system will provide details about oxides of nitrogen, carbon monoxide, particulate matter, black carbon and benzene present in Delhi air. "Exposure to the pollutants will affect human health, increased respiratory symptoms, heart and lung diseases, allergies being some of them," said Beig. SAFAR's inputs will greatly help in identifying the major sources of air pollutants and recommending measures to help improve the air quality

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com...or-Commonwealth-Games/articleshow/5909493.cms

 

[RAM]

Common Wealth Games Delhi 2010 Theme Song

 

[RAM]

indias capital new delhi hosts the 2010 commonwealth games:ye dilli hai mere yar

 

[RAM]

Delhi commonwealth games 2010

 

[nrj]

Commonwealth Games leave no room in DU hostels

NEW DELHI: Hostellers in Delhi University colleges on north campus will be making a big sacrifice for the Commonwealth Games. For almost three months, they will attend classes as day scholars in the next session. They don't have a choice. As many as six colleges have asked students to vacate the hostels by the end of this month so that renovation can take place to make these buildings fit for players to stay during the Games.

The only consolation for the ousted students is that on returning to their rooms in the second half of October, they will find the accommodation swanky and far more comfortable than at present.

Before that, however, nearly 2,000 affected students will be forced to look for lodgings elsewhere when the new session begins in July. "We have been asked to vacate the rooms by the last week of May. So I will be looking for lodgings in either Vijay Nagar or Hudson Lane. With so many others also hunting for accommodation in the neighbourhood, finding a place is going to be tough," said Siddhartha Jain, a second-year student of BCom (honours) in Shri Ram College of Commerce. The college has asked its hostellers to vacate the rooms within three days of their last exam.

Though colleges say this was not an easy decision to make, it was also the first time that the government was providing any grant for renovation of hostels. Obviously, the offer was too hard to resist. All colleges on the campus, which are going to be venues for rugby tournaments, have got grants from the government through UGC ranging between Rs 40 lakh and Rs 1 crore for upgrading the hostels. And, this is over and above the funds released for furnishing.

Another student, Nishant Pandey, a first-year BA student in Hindu College, said they had been asked to return only after October 20. "We have started booking rooms since rents are expected to shoot up in view of the increased demand in the next session," he said.

Chandrachur Singh, warden, Hindu College Hostel, said colleges couldn't afford to miss this opportunity. "It's a painful decision for us. But the maintenance of hostels was also long due. We have managed the hostels only with the fees charged from the students which is just about adequate to meet the electricity and water bills." He said the infrastructure had worn out and the rooms were dilapidated. "A lot of work needs to be done and it may easily take three months or more," Singh said.

The colleges will be mostly working on the flooring, providing new beds and upgrading bathrooms to international standards. SRCC principal P C Jain called it a blessing in disguise. "I agree students may have problems staying elsewhere from July to October but they will return to swanky accommodation," he said, adding that the college has got Rs 40 lakh and more funds were on the way.

Tanvir Aeijaz, warden at Ramjas College, suggested students could stay at their local guardian's place till the Games. "The new session will begin only in the last week of July. They will have to manage only through August and September since they may have vacations in October again," he said.

Every year, students have to re-apply for a room in the hostel which is based on merit. Aeijaz said Ramjas may allot rooms at the time of admission this year but the students will be accommodated only after the players have gone. On the other hand, Hans Raj College may only give hostel rooms to seniors and not the new students. "We still have to decide. It is likely that we may not allot rooms to the first year students and accommodate around 80-90 senior students alone," said principal V K Kawatra.

Residential students at Miranda House and St Stephen's will, however, stay put. "We are not renovating the six residential blocks as we do not have a bursar who is the financial officer. We will give our hostels to players in the same condition as they are now so the students do not have to move out," said St Stephen's principal Valson Thampu. Miranda House principal Pratibha Jolly said the students will return to the hostel in July even as renovation work continues.

Source