Aussies to bring own security at Commonwealth Games

Jittery about their security in India, the Australian delegation for this year's Commonwealth Games in Delhi will be accompanied by the country's Federal Police.

"Travelling there (in India) is something you are always going to have to be very careful doing. We need to talk through how we are going to bring people in and how we're going to bring athletes out," Australian Commonwealth Games Association chief Perry Crosswhite was quoted as saying in media reports here.

"This will be the first time if they are going into the (Games) village with us. They'll have a couple of people attached to the team, not guarding the team but basically helping with briefings on security, with advice on where athletes should go, what they should wear, that sort of thing," he said.link

Buses go off Connaught Place

As the beautification of Connaught Place -- the heart of New Delhi -- begins ahead of the Commonwealth Games, buses plying in the area were diverted from Friday.

New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) is constructing new subways in the Outer Circle, a service corridor in the Middle Circle, and is renovating the buildings and making other improvements.

In view of the construction work, all buses, except those to New Delhi railway station, will be kept away from Connaught Place.

"Buses for New Delhi railway station will continue to ply through Connaught Place. Routes of all other buses have been changed," a joint advisory from Delhi Traffic Police and the NDMC said.

"NDMC has taken up redevelopment work of Connaught Place including construction of eight new subways in the Outer Circle, a service corridor in the Middle Circle, facade restoration and other related improvements. These works are proposed to be completed ahead of Commonwealth Games - 2010," the advisory said.

The Delhi Transport Corporation will notify the changed routes soon.

Other traffic in Connaught Place will also be regulated and parking in the middle and outer circles will be closed.

"General public is advised to use Metro and other public transport to Connaught Place. No parking will be available on middle and outer circle. Only half the width of Outer Circle shall be available for vehicular movement," the statement said.

The restriction on vehicular movements will continue for 80 days.

Connaught Place is one of the largest financial, commercial and business centres in Delhi. It was developed as a showpiece of Lutyens' Delhi featuring a Central Business District. Named after the Duke of Connaught, the construction work was started in 1929 and completed in 1933.link

Australia to send big team to Delhi

Australia is planning to send its largest-ever delegation for next year’s Commonwealth Games in New Delhi. “Australia will send a full team of over 600 athletes, coaches, managers, medicos and officials. The team will be the largest ever to compete in an overseas Commonwealth Games campaign with the first round of team nominations including the provisional selection of eight track and field athletes, including world champions Steve Hooker and Dani Samuels,” Australian Commonwealth Games Association said in a statement. ACGA CEO Perry Crosswhite said no athlete had raised any security concerns about travelling to India.link

Delhi Metro may run past midnight during Games

Delhi Metro could run past midnight during the 2010 Commonwealth Games for the convenience of visitors. It would provide safe transport and access to nightlife in the national capital, says a senior Delhi government official.

"We are in discussions with the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) and have recommended they keep their services running past midnight," Delhi Chief Secretary Rakesh Mehta said.

The move, Mehta said, was in tune with the decision to extend timings for markets and malls in the national capital, which mostly close by 9 or 10 p.m., to late hours.

"Safety is still an issue for transport. Metro is the best bet as there will be less congestion owing to cars - something that Delhi Police have reflected upon," Mehta said.

The Delhi Metro, which is rapidly becoming the lifeline of the capital, is set to expand from 75 km to 200 km by opening six new lines on its Phase II by October 2010.

Sports persons as well as spectators will also find the going easy - since 10 of the 11 Games venues will have "easy Metro connectivity".

The Metro is already well connected to the various tourist attractions like India Gate, the Connaught Place market from the British era, and the buzzing markets in the old city at Chawri Bazaar. With the new lines many open markets like Lajpat Nagar and malls in the national capital will also be on the network.

The Delhi government is in talks with several companies to start a smart card-based ticketing service for integrating public transport during the Games, said Delhi Transport Commissioner R.K. Verma.

"The smart card can be used for travelling in both the Metro and buses. The buses will have automated ticketing machines and fare will be deducted by punching of the smart card," he said.

With the completion of Phase II, the Metro ridership is expected to go up to 2.5 million daily from the 950,000 average now. To cater to the growing load, the number of trains will be increased 3.2 times, an official said.

Phase II of the Delhi Metro will provide easy access to most of the sports venues - the Commonwealth Games Village, Indira Gandhi Sports Complex and Yamuna Sports Complex (all in east Delhi), Delhi University Ground (north Delhi), Talkotora Indoor Stadium (west Delhi), Thyagaraj Complex, R.K. Tennis Complex and Siri Fort Sports Complex (all in south Delhi) and the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium and the National Stadium (central Delhi).

The Delhi Metro operates three popular lines connecting the northern, central, eastern and southwestern parts of Delhi.

By next year, passengers can use the high speed Metro Airport Express Line. Travellers will be able to get their boarding passes for their flights at the NH-8, Indira Gandhi International Airport, Dwarka sector 21 and the Dhaula Kuan Metro stations. Metro trains on this line will run at a speed of 135 kmph and cover the 21-km distance from New Delhi to the airport in 18 minutes.

The entire National Capital Region (NCR), including neighbouring Noida and Gurgaon, will be linked in the 120 km network.

Keeping in mind the Commonwealth Games in October 2010 and thousands of foreigners expected at the time, the DMRC plans to train 600 customer relations assistants as an interface to make travel "easier".

"Apart from regular training, we are also training them from the tourism point of view. They will guide people the best routes via the Metro and then the buses or rickshaws to reach popular tourist destinations," a senior Metro official said.link

Air India official carrier for Commonwealth Games

National airline Air India will be the official carrier for the Commonwealth Games to be held in Delhi in October 2010.

The airline would fly athletes to India from other Commonwealth countries for the event.

Air India Tuesday signed an agreement in this regard with the Organising Committee of Commonwealth Games.

"We have been designated official partner of the Commonwealth Games. We would ensure world class services for the athletes and other members of the contingents who will come here to take part in the games," Air India chairman and managing director Arvind Jadhav said on the occasion.

Air India will also charter aircraft and take help from other foreign airlines to bring athletes, he said.

"There will also be special packages from us for people who wish to visit the Commonwealth Games here."

The 12-day event will open Oct 3, 2010 at the 75,000-capacity Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in the heart of New Delhi.

Over 5,000 athletes from 53 countries that were once part of the British empire will compete in 17 disciplines. The event is the biggest India will host since the Asian Games in 1982 that saw 4,595 athletes from 33 nations take part in 21 events.

The organising committee chairman, Suresh Kalmadi, said the partnership would allow Air India to leverage the rights and benefits as permissible under the Commonwealth Games Federation protocol.

Lalit Kapur, who heads sales and marketing of the airline in the northern region, told that it would soon chalk out strategies to effectively manage its flight services during the Games.link

Lankan dancers mesmerize city

The third day of the Delhi International Arts Festival (DIAF) 2009 belonged to the expression of Sinhala dance and Sri Lanka's modern dance form pioneered by Chitrasena. Besides showcasing the hardship of fisherfolk, it brought out issues of caste, religion, gender, love and identity along with a beautiful contrast of hope and despair.

The 10-day festival organised in association with The Times of India is a curtain raiser to the upcoming Commonwealth Games 2010 in Delhi. The fest is showcasing some of the unique art forms from various Commonwealth nations. And one could not have asked for more from the island nation. The performance by the renowned Chitrasena Dance Company which has presented a dozen scintillating acts that have enthralled audiences across the world for the past five decades was simply spellbinding.

Monday's performances offered Delhiites a glimpse into the best of Amaratunga Arachige Maurice Dias alias Chitrasena, who infused a new dynamism into and revived Sri Lanka's traditional dance. The artistes presented some of the famous dance drama such as Nala Damayanthi and Ravana.

The highlight of the day was the incredible `Theiya' a Kandyan dance technique in which dancers display their virtuoso movements in interpreting a particular segment by switching roles as the lead dancer, presenting sheer joy, energy and movement.

The colourful performances showcased all aspects of the urban and rural life in Sri Lanka and were picked up from different parts of the country and its heritage. The uniqueness of the performance lay in its exotic mask dances, the rhythmic throb of drums and fiery ritual dances that brought alive the centuries-old dance tradition.

Although dance has been a part of the country's culture and tradition for thousands of years, it was only in the 1930s with the vision of Chitrasena an expert in the traditional dance forms of Sri Lanka and the first professional dancer in his country that this ancient art was given a new life as it was adapted on the modern stage. link

Delhi may be short of 6,500 rooms for Commonwealth Games

On a day when Commonwealth Games Organizing Committee chief Suresh Kalmadi claimed India would stage "a great Games", a review conducted by the tourism ministry reveals a different reality - at least as far as availability of hotel accommodation during the event is concerned.

Only 3,952 of the 'confirmed' 9,500 rooms - a mere 41% - are currently ready with just about six months to go for the March 2010 deadline to expire. That's not all. Of the 2,194 'likely' rooms expected to come up in time for the October 2010 event, only 50% will be ready, according to the ministry's review.

The 'confirmed' rooms were certain to come up in time for the event, while the 'likely' rooms were those expected to be ready. So, as of now, there's a shortfall of some 6,500 rooms. How much of this would be made up by the time the event is held, is anybody's guess. The deadline for completion of these rooms had been fixed for March 2010 to give time for guests to make bookings etc.

The ministry had estimated a demand for 40,000 rooms. Of this, 10,150 were already available, with plans to construct at least 10,000 more, with the rest to be made up from guesthouses and other sources. link

Delhi ill-prepared for Games: Tourism ministry

Delhi it seems is losing the race to host the Commonwealth Games in 2010. Close on the heels of Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) president's SOS to prime minister, now Union secretary of tourism has admitted to the lapses on part of state government.

After several false assurances by the state government, the warning bells are now ringing loud and clear. Will preparations be complete in time for the Commonwealth Games or will it prove to be a major embarrassment? Officials cast doubt about capital's preparedness.

Union Secretary of Tourism Sujit Banerjee said, "It is a difficult task, impossible. I can only leave it as a challenge for you."

The nation's worst sporting fears are close to coming true as these ominous words by the tourism secretary were a clear acceptance of the capital's ill-preparedness to host the Games.

The official also saw merit in the doubts raised by CGF president Michael Fennel. He blamed the situation on those involved in the preparations not realising the gravity of the situation.

"They don't realise that it is a matter of prestige, all thinking that there are still 365 days to go," he said.

But the tourism secretary was not alone in worrying about the slow pace of the preparations for the prestigious games. After being under attack by the CGF for delay in various projects, Delhi Chief Minister Shiela Dikhsit too had on Monday admitted her nervousness in meeting the deadline.

After the CGF president shot a letter seeking the prime minister's intervention to put things in order, the capital is slowly waking up to the reality. But the big question is whether Delhi will be able to meet the challenge and save itself from the embarrassment of failing to host a prestigious multi-sport event?link

Delhi slum women hail a taxi to equality

A battered housewife, a Muslim widow and an illiterate mother of four are among a group of Indian women looking to carve out a living by breaking into the male preserve of New Delhi taxi drivers.

Hailing from some of the poorest quarters of the capital, they are part of plans to launch the city's first radio taxi-service run by women, in time for the October 2010 Commonwealth Games.

The project is the brainchild of Meenu Vadera of the Azad Foundation, a voluntary group that works with disadvantaged women whose employment prospects -- if they exist at all -- are usually limited to the world of domestic help.

"We have trained one batch of nine women and the training of another batch of 11 is underway," said Vadera, who aims to have five taxis on the road by February and a fleet of 20 by the time the Games begin.

"I was looking at a programme that would combine a livelihood for the girls with the idea of having women cab-drivers who will provide safe transport to working women in Delhi."

Of all major Indian cities, the capital ranks worst in terms of violence against women, with more than 4,300 registered cases in 2007-08, according to the National Crime Records Bureau.

To ensure their own safety, the women have received some basic self-defence instruction as part of their training at a professional drivers' school run by India's largest car manufacturer, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd.

Supplementing these are classes in grooming, etiquette and spoken English.

"The goal is to establish a company with the women as stakeholders. This way it does not look like a charity but a business run collectively," Vadera said.

India's emergence as a global economic power has done little for millions of unskilled or illiterate women for whom menial work as domestics or care-givers remains a chief source of regular but often underpaid employment.

The work is generally unregulated and unprotected, leaving them vulnerable to harassment and exploitation.

"Some come from families where only the menfolk work," said Poonam Bala, a Delhi University Sociology professor.

"For others, their background is such that they are totally unprepared to enter the professional job market."

Rita, 24, ran away from her marriage and home after suffering seven years of abuse at the hands of her parents-in-law.

Living at the home of a friend in Delhi, Rita saw the female taxi project as a way out of a social and economic dead end.

"I jumped at the idea," she said. "It would give me independence and the ability to support myself".

Shanno Begum, a 32-year-old Muslim widow, signed up for the programme last year.

"My husband died three years ago. I had three children and my parents-in-law to support. As a private nurse, I used to earn 4,500 rupees (90 dollars) a month for a 24/7 job," Shanno said.

"Now, I will earn the same amount working eight hours and can devote more time to my children."

For Ekta, a 28-year-old mother of four, the taxi project opened doors that she had thought closed to her as an illiterate woman married into a conservative family.

"Persuading my husband to let me work was very difficult," she said. "Now I feel empowered as if I have my own identity other than a wife and mother."

The project has not been without its problems.

With the commercial licence necessary to drive a taxi-cab requiring a year-long wait, Vadera has been trying to find short-term chauffeur employment for her fully trained drivers -- with little success.

"I underestimated the gender bias," Vadera said, citing repeated questions from potential employers as to whether women could be trusted to drive safely and turn up to work on time.

"Despite my assurances, they decide against women drivers. This is despite the fact that records show women are more careful than male drivers -- they obey traffic rules, don't drink and drive, don't get into brawls on the road," she said.

Some of Delhi's male cabbies, unimpressed by the idea of an all-woman taxi service, have decided the best reaction is one of collective ridicule that panders to a disparaging stereotype of women drivers.

"It's bad enough having women behind the wheel in private cars," said Pamma Singh, who runs a taxi company with his two brothers.

"They take ages to reverse, negotiate turnings, to park properly. So what kind of challenge will they be to us? Just be prepared for more chaos on the roads," he said.

Another of Vadera's recruits, Heena Khan, 22, said she treated such remarks with contempt but was still angered by her inability to get a part-time chauffeuring position.

"It is disheartening that after all this hard work, we still can't get jobs because we are women. I am the sole breadwinner and no work means no food," said Khan, who has 10-member dependent family.link