Ask Delhiites, as capital comes to standstill with major traffic jams
Ask Delhiites, as capital comes to standstill with major traffic jams
A few good men held Delhi hostage on Thursday.
As delegates from 71 countries inspected the venues where the Commonwealth Games will be held next year, the city came to a standstill. While traffic cops blocked roads to let the delegates sail through, Delhiites were left fuming. The problem worsened because the delegates were divided into two groups and moved in separate directions.
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As jams spread, blocking even slip roads, many people could be heard complaining that if the government had to halt the city for a small team's visit, what would happen when the actual Games begin?
"I was excited about Delhi hosting the Commonwealth Games. But after today's situation, I am wondering what is going to happen when the Games start. The Metro has not been constructed properly and with so many guests who will flock to the city during the Games, Delhi will be choked," said Andrea Allen, an expatriate musician.
As expected, while the roads along the team's route were the worst affected, by late evening, the cascading effect had hit the entire city. Even commuters to Noida and Gurgaon faced its brunt. "I cover the stretch from Mayur Vihar to Noida in about 10 minutes but today I was stuck for almost an hour. I could travel only six kilometres in that time. Worse, I was not expecting the situation because the traffic advisory I read in the newspaper didn't mention the area," said Somita Das, a media professional.
And the guests said...
"We have come with many questions and if we do not get satisfactory answers, it will have significant implication on our participation," said Andrew Pipe, president of the Canadian Commonwealth Association.
Canada was supposed to host the games but lost to India by a small margin.
Commonwealth Games Federation Secretary General Louise Martin CBE was delighted with the prospect of a Games Village.u00a0 "It's absolutely fantastic. The athletes will enjoy staying here," she wrote in the Guest Book at the Games Village.
Craig Hunter, a delegate from England, was impressed with the Village. "This is a wonderful Games Village and we look forward to staying (here) in 2010," he wrote.
Silent tracks
A game is no less than a meditation and atheletes need peace. The concern especially becomes important when a railway track runs along a complex dedicated for sportsmen preparing for the Games. Keeping this in mind, the Railways have agreed to cover tracks running close to the upcoming Games Village with 1.1 km-long sound-proof corridor.
The construction will be done by DDA and it will take about three months to be ready.
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