Army to hand over footbridge near Nehru stadium soon

Published>Tue, Sep 28 10 08:23 PM

New Delhi, Sep 28 (IANS) Around 600 combat engineers of the Indian Army, working on war footing for a little over four days, have managed to rebuild a footbridge near the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium -- days after it collapsed causing embarrassment ahead of the showpiece Commonwealth Games.

'The bridge will be handed over to the organisers (of the sporting event) soon,' an official in the army headquarters told IANS.

The army stepped in to build the retractable Bailey overpass after an under-construction footbridge collapsed Tuesday near the stadium, the main venue of the mega sporting event.

According to officials at the Army Headquarters here, construction work started Saturday and the structure is almost ready and will be handed over to the Games Organising Committee after a necessary safety trial.

The official said it took over 600 combat engineers from the Madras Engineer Group, known as the Madras Sappers, to finish the job in a little over four days.

The structure made of portable steel sheets and iron angles with roadbed width of 12 feet has been erected on concrete pillars on either side of the elevated Barapullah Nallah, on which the earlier structure rested, near Lodhi Road.

When the army was called in Saturday, the combat engineers swiftly went into action by conduction a quick feasibility test and then drew up a design, working literally on war footing.

They have added three piers to make the bridge - that will be used by athletes during the event - more safe.

The framework, made of iron grills serving as support for the floor and the railings, was completed on the second day.

The bridge connects the main Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium to a nearby parking lot.

The officials refused to give an estimate of the cost of the structure. The army will pack it away soon after the Oct 3-14 Games finish.

The bridge-collapse had triggered a barrage of criticism over preparations for the event, the biggest in India after the 1982 Asian Games.

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Sheila Dikshit extends deadline for completion of work at CWG Village

Published>Tue, Sep 28 10 08:07 PM

New Delhi, Sep 28 (ANI): Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Tuesday extended the deadline for the completion of work at the Commonwealth Games Village by two days as workers raced against time to clean up the complex that will house thousands of athletes and officials.

"Anywhere, where international events take place - work continues till the very last minute. We are going to finish everything by tomorrow or day after, which will be at least three or four days before the Games actually starts on October 3," said Dikshit on the sidelines of a function here today.

Earlier on September 22, Sheila Dikshit assured that the city is all set to host the mega event in the best possible way.

She also said that the work for the much-awaited event has been carried out with full flow, and all loopholes and problems would be addressed immediately.

As many as 850 athletes and officials are expected to arrive in Delhi today to showcase their talent at the 2010 Commonwealth Games from October 3-14.

The Malaysian contingent, with 93 members, is the largest one to arrive today. They have participants in disciplines like archery, aquatics, cycling, gymnastics, badminton and weightlifting. Jamaica's contingent of 87 athletes will participate in shooting, cycling, netball and athletics.

The other large contingents arriving today include North Ireland (83), Samoa (57), Guernsey (55), New Zealand (52), Cooks Islands (49) and Australia (48).

Apart from these, officials and athletes from Zambia, Botswana, England, Canada, Wales, Kenya, Tonga, Tuvalu, Singapore, Falkland Islands, St. Helena, British Virgin Islands, St. Vincent and The Grenadines, Bahamas and Niue Island are also arriving today.

In addition, the Chefs-de-Mission of Malaysia, Mauritius, Papua New Guinea, St.Kitts and Nevis and St. Helena, apart from a large international media contingent, are arriving today to be a part of Delhi 2010. (ANI)

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Extra vigil but no sealing of borders during Games

Published>Tue, Sep 28 10 08:03 PM

New Delhi, Sep 28 (IANS) Delhi Police will increase its vigil but will not seal the 13 major entry-exit points of the capital during the Commonwealth Games, police said Tuesday.

'We will increase our vigil during the Games and vehicles would be allowed only after thorough checking. Though, borders will not be sealed,' said Rajan Bhagat, spokesperson of Delhi Police.

Even the transport department will come down heavily on polluting vehicles entering the city. It will set up special checking centres for the purpose.

The movement of commercial vehicles like trucks, tempos and goods autos will be restricted on all roads in the vicinity of the Games venues.

'During the day, commercial vehicles will not be allowed on some roads. However, normal movement will continue in other parts of the city. But trucks will be allowed to ply as usual at night,' an official said.

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29 clubs for All India golf tourney

Tue, Sep 28 10 07:57 PM

Mumbai, Sep 28 (PTI) Amateur golfers from 29 clubs in 22 cities across the country will take part in the McDowell Signature Club Golf tournament to be held between October 3 and December 8. The tournament, which has seen in the past the emergence of current top players like Gaganjeet Bhullar and Anirban Lahiri, is to be held in three stages -- the intra-club, the regional finals followed by the All India finals at Chiang Mai, Thailand, it was announced at a media conference today. The championship would be played over 18 holes in a dual format -- with nine holes conducted in the Power Play format and the remaining holes held in the Stableford format. Around 5000 players are expected to take part in the tournament which is being held for the ninth year. Last year Lucknow Golf Club clinched the title. This year in order to give prominence to regional centres, the zonal finals are to be held in cities like Pune, Lucknow and Bhubaneshwar.

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Extra vigil but no sealing of borders during Games

Published>Tue, Sep 28 10 07:47 PM

New Delhi, Sep 28 (IANS) Delhi Police will increase its vigil but will not seal the 13 major entry-exit points of the capital during the Commonwealth Games, police said Tuesday.

'We will increase our vigil during the Games and vehicles would be allowed only after thorough checking. Though, borders will not be sealed,' said Rajan Bhagat, spokesperson of Delhi Police.

Even the transport department will come down heavily on polluting vehicles entering the city. It will set up special checking centres for the purpose.

The movement of commercial vehicles like trucks, tempos and goods autos will be restricted on all roads in the vicinity of the Games venues.

'During the day, commercial vehicles will not be allowed on some roads. However, normal movement will continue in other parts of the city. But trucks will be allowed to ply as usual at night,' an official said.

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Australia's CWG contingent to be the largest: Envoy

Published>Tue, Sep 28 10 07:43 PM

New Delhi, Sep 28 (IANS) After being one of the harshest critics of India's preparations for the Commonwealth Games, Australia Tuesday said it will be fielding the single largest contingent at the Oct 3-14 event.

'We will field the single largest contingent at the Games. More than 600 athletes will arrive by next week,' Australian High Commissioner Peter Varghese said delivering a lecture organized by the Indira Gandhi National Open University.

Verghese added that India's CWG problems were 'redressable'.

'The problems that India is facing where the Games are concerned are redressable,' he said.

Varghese said the Games would provide an opportunity for further growth with India preparing for other major sporting events like the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011.

Australia had earlier raised concerns on security and infrastructure preparedness. It had also issued a travel advisory concerning security issues for its citizens visiting India.

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Lifter Soniya aims good show in CWG to boost Asiad chances

Tue, Sep 28 10 12:32 PM

New Delhi, Sep 28 (PTI) Tipped to win a gold medal in the Commonwealth Games, top Indian woman weightlifter Soniya Chanu today said a good show in the mega event here will be a confidence booster for the Asian Games in China. "Our preparation is good and I am hopeful of a medal in the Commonwealth Games. Our coach Harnam Singh has motivated us enough to bring glory to the nation and is trying to prove his efforts right," Chanu, who is competing in 48kg, said. "The Asian Games are tougher than the Commonwealth Games and a good performance here is important for the Asian Games in November in China," she said. "I am enjoying my stay at the Games Village and the training facilities are very good here," she added. Harnam said he expects 10-12 medals from her wards and picked Malaysia as India''s will main rival in weightlifting. "We are hoping to win 10-12 medals. Our training is going fine and the lifters are very much happy with the Games Village as the training arena is situated near our residential block. Malaysia is our strong competitor as they have some good weightlifters in every category," he said. Asked about the doping controversies associated with Indian weightlifting, Harnam said, "Doping is not restricted to weightlifting but is there in other sports as well. We want to congratulate NADA for their efforts in bringing out the doping cases. We too want doping to be cleared from all the sports. Our contingent is clean." PTI SHN PDS

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