NEW DELHI (AFP) — Only half the 30,000 extra hotel rooms needed for next year's New Delhi Commonwealth Games will be ready in time, a parliamentary panel report has claimed in the latest gloomy assessment.
The report, unveiled late Tuesday, criticised delays in building infrastructure and the lack of co-ordination between the various government agencies charged with the October 3-14, 2010 Games.
"The 2010 games are drawing near and so many projects are yet to be initiated, let alone being completed," said the report by the panel on transport and tourism headed by federal lawmaker Sitaram Yechury.
"There are a large number of civic and other agencies, but there is an absence of a co-ordinated mechanism."
Of the 39 hotel sites auctioned by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) ahead of the Games, only 19 had begun construction work, report said.
"The committee has serious doubts about the capability of DDA for expediting the issue of identification and allotment of hotel sites for construction of budget hotels for the Games," it said.
The panel predicted a shortfall of 14,000 hotel rooms, but federal tourism minister Ambika Soni rubbished suggestions the Games will be affected.
"Our scheme to develop bed and breakfast units throughout New Delhi is working very well," the minister told reporters on Wednesday.
The Delhi government has urged residents to convert a part of their property into bed and breakfast units that will be regulated by the state authorities.
The Hindustan Times newspaper said last week that New Delhi was so behind schedule that it will take a "miracle" to host the Games.
"What we face is a race against time," the paper had said, adding that Games venues were only 40 percent complete.
The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) has raised concern over the slow pace of work, which has already forced the world badminton championships in August this year to be shifted to Hyderabad.
On Wednesday, organisers of this year's separate Commonwealth boxing championships sought a postponement from October to next March due to the incomplete indoor stadium in New Delhi.
However, Indian Olympic Association secretary-general Randhir Singh played down fears that the Games will be held in half-complete stadia.
"Most of the venues will be handed to us by the end of this year and the rest by next March," Singh told AFP.
"We will have enough time to organise test events."
The hockey World Cup is scheduled to be held in New Delhi in March next year.
New Delhi is the second Asian city to be awarded the Commonwealth Games after Kuala Lumpur hosted the 1998 edition. New Delhi has hosted the Asian Games twice, in 1951 and 1982.
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