Gill gives Village ‘all clean’ chit, Australia issues fresh alert (Afternoon Lead)

NEW DELHI - The Commonwealth Games Village buzzed with activity Wednesday as Sports Minister M.S. Gill and Organising Committee (OC) chief Suresh Kalmadi toured the complex to ensure everything was in order for the visitors, including the more than 1,000 athletes and officials expected to check in by night.

The enthusiasm for the Games, however, was marred by Australia issuing a fresh travel alert for its nationals, asking them to avoid parts of the country and the Indian capital.

With just five days to go for the 19th edition of the Commonwealth Games here, being held in the backdrop of complaints of ill-preparedness and allegations of corruption, Gill and Kalmadi visited the Village to take stock of the situation.

“I have spent almost two hours in the village and spoken to teams from at least 13 countries. Honestly, all of them said that they are feeling very comfortable and are glad to be here,” Gill told reporters.

“I am personally satisfied with the arrangements and situation at the Games Village and other Games venues,” he said.

“There is nothing to worry about,” he added about the Australian advisory, pointing out that stringent security arrangements were in place.

Gill and Kalmadi had food at the dining hall in the sprawling - and controversial - Village built to house the athletes and officials for the Oct 3-14 sporting event.

With specialised crews from five-star hotels called in to clean up the Village, dismissed only days ago as “filthy” by some contingents, things finally seemed to be falling into place.

Athletes were practicing on the tracks, some on wheelchairs getting ready for the para Games.

Around 1,150 athletes and officials, including 58 from Pakistan, are expected to arrive in the Village Wednesday.

With 146 members, the Australian contingent will be the largest. England’s contingent will be the second largest with 97 athletes followed by Singapore (75).

Pakistan’s squad of 58 will have participants for hockey, squash, tennis, weightlifting, wrestling and boxing.

Among the other large contingents expected Wednesday are Barbados (57), New Zealand (49), the Maldives (43), Scotland (42), Seychelles (37) and Zambia (28).

Though two more athletes pulled out, the 400-strong Canadian team was also set to come after initial reservations about the Village.

However, Australia advised its citizens to exercise a high degree of caution while travelling in India due to likely terror attacks and possible communal tension over a judgment on the Babri Masjid-Ramjanmabhoomi dispute due Thursday afternoon.

The Australian High Commission in New Delhi cautioned against possible terror attacks, civil unrest or political tension “surrounding the verdict”.

“We advise you to exercise a high degree of caution in India at this time because of the high risk of terrorist activity by militant groups. Pay close attention to your personal security at all times…Terrorist attacks could occur at any time anywhere in India with little or no warning,” it said.

“Australians in New Delhi should be aware that the Commonwealth Games will be held in a security environment where there is a high risk of terrorism.”