Commonwealth Plans Stolen from Police Station!

NEW Delhi's Commonwealth Games security plans have been stolen, plunging the event into further disarray.

Computers containing sensitive security information were stolen from the office of Delhi Police's Joint-Commissioner.

The theft is all the more embarrassing because the police compound housing the commissioner's office rarely has fewer than 500 officers in it.

Up to 100,000 people are expected to attend the Games, but organisers say there is a predicted shortfall of at least 14,000 hotel rooms.

New Delhi officials have approved the construction of 39 hotels in New Delhi, but work has started on only 19 so far.

It has led India to consider a New Delhi bed and breakfast scheme, with more than 300 homes and 800 rooms registered for guests in the past 18 months.

According to Joint-Commissioner JK Sharma's staff, five computer monitors and three central programming units were missing when the offices opened yesterday.

Joint-Commissioner Sharma said: "We have reported the matter to Malviya Nagar police station. Their officers have visited the office."

The computers reportedly stored important information concerning several Games projects, and had details of security plans for the Games.

The incident is yet another blow for the embattled Commonwealth Games, to be held in New Delhi from October 3-14 next year. That the security measures for commonwealth games in Delhi are lax, is exposed by the robbery of computers from a Police station.

Some Indian politicians and former athletes are deeply concerned over the lack of progress at several of the Games venues.

The loss of the security plans follows November's Mumbai terrorist atrocities and last week's attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore, Pakistan.

It is believed thieves broke in through a window to steal the computers.

Sri Lankan cricket coach Trevor Bayliss, a New South Welshman, has warned sports authorities on the subcontinent to be doubly careful.

"There are questions to be asked by the governing bodies of all sports," Bayliss told Indian media. "If cricket, which is the No. 1 sport on the subcontinent, can get hit, then any sport can . . . and especially any big sporting tournament."

Bayliss' concerns came as Games organisers said foreign visitors to New Delhi next year might be housed privately.

With lax security comes the possiblity of an Al-Queda attack on the Commonwealth games Venue, this I have discussed in a previous post.

Security Measures for Delhi Commonwealth Games

I wrote about the possibility of Al- Queda attack on the venues of Commonwealth Games in Delhi in a previous post. Looks like, my conjecture was spot on.

Apparaently, the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi will adopt security methods similar to those used at last year's Beijing Olympics. the chief of Commonwealth Games said on Wednesday, allaying fears the attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team could scupper the event.

Speculation about the fate of the Games, due to be held in New Delhi, has intensified since last year's attacks in Mumbai and Tuesday's bloody ambush in Lahore which left six players and a coach wounded and eight people dead.

A number of Australian athletes -- the top team in the games -- have already expressed reservations about competing in India, with former swimming champion Dawn Fraser even calling for the event to be moved.

"We don't want another Munich," Fraser said, referring to the deadly attacks on Israeli athletes at the 1972 Olympics. "With an attack like that you wouldn't be sending any team over to that region at all. You wouldn't be sending any away in this climate."

The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) chiefs held a meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday, where security was elaborately discussed, organising committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi said.

"We're working on security, it has always been an issue with us from the beginning," he told Reuters on Wednesday.

"The Pune (2008 Commonwealth Youth Games) security was also an issue and everything went off well.

"We're tying up things, with a lot of CCTV's etc. We're using very modern methods which were also used in Beijing (Olympics) last year.

"A lot of things are moving ahead as this is our number one concern," he said. "We're monitoring it on a day-to-day basis."

The CGF security chief had also visited India and discussed security details with the Delhi police and interior ministry officials, he added.

AUSTRALIA BACKING

Earlier, a top Australian sports official gave his backing to keeping the Games in India despite growing concerns over security.

Perry Crosswhite, the president of the Australian Commonwealth Games Association, said the CGF had called a teleconference to discuss the latest incident but there were no plans to relocate the Games.

"At this stage, the Games are on at Delhi 2010 and we have no reason to believe that they won't take place," Crosswhite told reporters on Wednesday.

"Like everyone else I am shocked that they attacked a sporting team, and Pakistan cricket is so popular, for terrorists to do this is almost unheard of.

"We are not saying the Games are going to be cancelled."

More than 4,000 athletes from over 50 countries are expected to compete in 17 sports at the New Delhi Games, making it the biggest sporting event held in India.

Among the athletes likely to compete at New Delhi are Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt, Australian swimmer Stephanie Rice and British cyclist Chris Hoy, who each won three gold medals at last year's Beijing Olympics.

Crosswhite said India was planning a massive security operation for the Commonwealth Games but he could understand why some athletes may still be hesitant to go.

"I don't think anyone can guarantee anybody's safety any more," he said.

"If we did feel that those security issues were beyond an acceptable level we would have no hesitation in making our views known to the athletes.

"It is up to the athletes whether they go or not. We won't force them to go."

Kalmadi said security perception had gone up after the Mumbai attacks in November which killed about 170 people.

"We've beefed up security after the Mumbai attacks and we didn't need lessons from the Lahore attack."

"After Mumbai we've taken all steps on security. We'll have our next meeting in May by when the full plan will be ready."

"I'd like to assure participating countries that security will be our concern. We'll definitely look after all aspects."

If the Delhi Commonwealth Games were to be called off that would be huge economic blow to the New Delhi Bed and Breakfast and Delhi Hotels that are coming up especially for the Commonwealth games.

We all hope that the Government will get their act together and is able to provide tight security for the event.

Chura Liya Hai Tumne - Yadoon Ki Baraat - Video

Will there be an Al-Queda attack on Commonwealt Games Venue in Delhi

Another Parliamentary panel finds serious lapses in preparations for Commonwealth Games, and yet another committee on Thursday observed that security to people in Delhi appeared to be "inadequate'' ahead of the 2010 event. It suggested that the government should take urgent measures after a comprehensive review.

The Standing Committee on Home Affairs in its report said the actual security cover to the people of Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) ahead of the Games "appears to be inadequate, particularly in the light of the recent serial bomb blasts and more recently the Mumbai terror attacks.''

Recommending that the home ministry undertake a "comprehensive review'' of the security capability of the Delhi Police, the panel, headed by BJP member Sushma Swaraj, said: "The committee also desires that the Metro stations in Delhi need to be provided full security and no stone should be left unturned.''

In its action taken report, the home ministry, however, informed that the government has already sanctioned 5,000 additional posts in the Delhi Police specifically in the context of the Commonwealth Games. Also, an additional 7,612 posts have been sanctioned in terms of a larger proposal of the Delhi Police.

It also said that it was decided to hand over the security of Delhi Metro to CISF and 1,633 posts were sanctioned to the paramilitary force for the purpose.

The panel also referred to the issue of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, saying that "a large presence of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants poses a grave threat to the internal security'' and should be viewed seriously.

Noting that "any laxity'' on the Indo-Bangladesh border would prove detrimental to India's security and economic progress, the panel suggested strengthening of surveillance.

With Poor security comes the possibility of another Al-Queda attack to disrupt the Delhi Commonwealth games in 2010.

Let's hope NOT!

Edit : Following the Deadly attack on the Sri Lankan cricket players, the above is a strong possibilty.

Related Posts: Security Measures for Delhi Commonwealth Games

Development for Commonwealth Games in Delhi is Lagging behind!

Finding serious lapses on the part of the Delhi government in the preparedness for the Commonwealth Games, a parliamentary committee today said no proposals from the city government for development of infrastructure and capacity building were submitted to the Centre till November 2008.
Delhi government had not made any proposals for development of infrastructure and capacity building, including creation and renovation of hospitality facilities, modernisation of tourism sites to the Tourism Ministry till November 2008, Sitaram Yechury, chairman of the standing committee on transport, tourism and culture told reporters here after submitting the report on "development of tourism infrastructure and amenities for the commonwealth Games 2010".

The committee in its report has noted with concern that though adequate funds were available with the Tourism Ministry under infrastructure upgradation of tourism destination schemes, no such proposals were submitted by Delhi government.

"Since the 2010 Games are drawing near, so many projects have yet to be initiated, let alone completed. In such a situation, absence of any proposal from the NCT of Delhi surprised the committee," the panel noted. PTI

Melbourne will not be ready to Host the commonwealth Games 2010

Australian officials have laughed off suggestions Melbourne is on standby to host the 2010 Commonwealth Games amid concerns over India's preparations to stage the event.

Reports suggest Delhi organisers are struggling with numerous issues ahead of the scheduled opening ceremony on October 3, involving venue construction, broadcasting, security and accommodation among other things.

The possibility of Melbourne, host of the 2006 Commonwealth Games, stepping in again next year has been mooted with the event now just over 18 months away.

But it was news to Australian Commonwealth Games Association (ACGA) chief executive Perry Crosswhite.

"That's all very interesting because we've never been asked that or even had it indicated to us," Crosswhite told AAP on Wednesday.

"I talked to (former Melbourne Commonwealth Games Minister) Justin Madden about it yesterday and he said it would be almost impossible for Melbourne to do it anyway.

"The village is gone and everything else.

"The only time you've had a Games move was the 1976 Winter Olympics when (Denver) couldn't hold them (over a funding issue) and Innsbruck held them again, but in those days the Olympics was probably a thousand athletes.

"It just wouldn't happen unless there was a security issue, when they'd probably just be postponed rather than move them somewhere else.

"I just chuckle at those things because it's just not going to happen."

Crosswhite is remaining hopeful India's vast resources and huge population can make the event in Delhi a success.

The global financial crisis and the terrorist attacks in Mumbai in November last year have impacted upon confidence in the country to stage a successful Games.

India are also minnows when it comes to hosting international multi-sport events, the last time being when they held the Asian Games in 1982.

But the ACGA is keeping the faith, believing Delhi just needs to ensure experienced heads are pulling the strings.

"Absolutely there's concerns. But more of the concern is just putting people in place to manage and run the Games," Crosswhite said.

"The venues and village and all that is just money and people and they've got plenty of people and probably plenty of money.

"It's probably just a body of knowledge of how you manage the Games and those things (that's required). You either get people from overseas or you do a very fast training program or a combination of both.

"That's the area the Commonwealth Games Federation is really encouraging the Indians to do. These events don't just happen."

The ACGA was informed in November last year that venues were behind schedule, but it is hardly a unique issue.

The same problem occurred during preparations for the Athens 2004 and Sydney 2000 Olympics, plus the Melbourne Commonwealth Games.

The ACGA's latest information is most venues will be finished by December this year.

Commonwealth Games in Delhi - A Fiasco in Making!

The Capital, New Delhi, is gearing up for the Commonwealth Games, which will see at least a million extra tourists in India, and with a large portion of them expected to hit Delhi, the city's 11,000 hotel rooms are woefully inadequate.

In fact the Ministry of Tourism estimates that Delhi needs another 40,000 hotel rooms just to handle the Commonwealth Games, but include the rest of India and the figure is scary.

“We are short of 1,50,000 rooms in the deluxe category and 1,00,000 in the budget category,” Tourism Minister Ambika Soni said.

Meanwhile, Government agencies like the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) are hard at work identifying sites to cope with the large number of visitors.

“The DDA auctioned 33 plots for the construction of hotels in the NCR since January 2006, which is said to add 6,500 rooms,” Director PR, DDA, Neemo Dhar said. That said, due to the recession many of the companies tat had bought the land - have handed it back to the Govt. saying that the soaring cost of land makes constructing a Hotels in Delhi uneconomical.

But attempts to auction the sites have been partially successful, forcing the DDA to issue tenders. But in spite of that some plots remain unsold, and many have been handed back to the Govt.

And with the Commonwealth Games only a year away, finishing a world-class hotel will mean working against the clock because that normally requires three years. The high cost of land is also likely to lead to high tariffs.

In spite of the Tourism Ministry's incentives like a 10-year tax rebate on budget hotels, the 40,000 target seems an unlikely one. Perhaps the answer lies in facilitating smaller establishments.

Estimates say 30 per cent of the deficit can be bridged through unbranded categories like serviced apartments, Delhi Bnb and guesthouses and motels in Delhi.