Officials to oversee CWG stadiums

NEW DELHI - In a desperate move to wrap up all Commonwealth Games construction on time, the government Thursday named a 10-member team of top bureaucrats to oversee work at all the stadiums.

The officials, of the rank of additional secretary and joint secretary, were named by the Cabinet Secretariat, each made in charge of one stadium, a government spokesman said.

The appointments came on a day when United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chief Sonia Gandhi made it plain that the October Games were “a matter of national pride and efforts should be made to hold them successfully”.

Thursday’s move followed widespread reports of corruption and delays in the preparations for the Games, prompting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to meet ministers and officials Saturday to review the works.

The newly appointed officials will report direct to Cabinet Secretary K.M. Chandrasekhar, the spokesman said.

The officials include J.S. Deepak, who will be in charge of the sprawling Commonwealth Games village coming up on the banks of the Yamuna river.

The Indira Gandhi stadium will be overseen by R.C. Misra and the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in the city’s heart which will host the opening and closing ceremonies by S.R. Rao.

Earlier Thursday, Commonwealth Games Federation president Mike Fennel met Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit for about 30 minutes to discuss issues related to the Games and infrastructure development.

He had Wednesday inspected various stadiums.

The Games will be held here Oct 3-14 with participation from 53 countries.