By IANS,
New Delhi: As the Indian capital prepared to host the Commonwealth Games only five days away, 850 athletes and officials poured into the Games Village Tuesday, taking to 3,100 the population of the much maligned complex that is now winning high praise from almost everyone.
Home Minister P. Chidambaram meanwhile reviewed final security arrangements for the Village and the various venues where the Games are to begin Sunday until the closing ceremony Oct 14.
For a change, one delegation after another — including the Australians, who were the harshest critics until now — heaped accolades on the sprawling Village that will house some 7,000 athletes and officials from 71 countries and territories.
But diplomats from some countries said they still had concerns regarding the cleanliness of the Village, a mammoth complex built at the edge of the Yamuna river.
Canadian Susan Nattrass, a six-time Olympian and seven-time world trap shooting champion, was among the athletes who arrived Tuesday. She has two Commonwealth silver and three bronze medals to her credit.
Jamaican Ricardo Cunningham, an 800 metres specialist, and the fancied Australian women’s hockey team, winners of three Olympic gold medals and five World Cup titles, also flew into New Delhi.
Northern Ireland, New Zealand, England and Australia were among the other countries whose athletes arrived Tuesday.
Australian chef de mission Steve Moneghetti said he was “fully satisfied” with the Games Village.
“We are happy with everything at the Village… We are happy with the traffic. I haven’t received a single complaint from the athletes about the Village. Accommodation is perfect, the dining area excellent,” Moneghetti, who was mayor of the Melbourne Village in 2006, told IANS.
Nigerian delegation head Elias Usman Gora echoed him. Nigerian athletes are “very happy and impressed” with the facilities, have started training, and are optimistic about winning medals, he said.
Lesotho is, however, still not happy with the Games Village.
“We have an advanced team sitting in the Village, and they are pushing the people on the cleaning. Hopefully, by the the time the team arrives tomorrow, they should be ready,” Lesotho High Commissioner Shabbir Hoosen Peerbhai told IANS.
As Delhi Police enforced the Games exclusive lane travel system in many parts of the city, it caused the inevitable traffic jams. But many others said they were happy to see disciplined motorists on Delhi’s otherwise chaotic roads.
Chidambaram met with his officials amid concerns that terrorists could target the event.
The meting was attended by Home Secretary G.K. Pillai, chiefs of the Intelligence Bureau and Research and Analysis Wing, Delhi Police commissioner Y.S. Dadwal and officials dealing with CWG security and internal security.
Chidambaram later toured the 24X7 Control Room for the Games, set up in North Block, which houses the home ministry.
Since Monday, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) were deployed in Delhi’s skies to detect aerial intrusions. Army helicopters also hovered over the Games Village.
In New York, External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna said that India looked forward to welcoming and hosting participants of the Commonwealth Games.
“India eagerly looks forward to welcoming sportspersons and officials … to Delhi,” Krishna told foreign ministers of Commonwealth countries Monday on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
Preparations are in full swing at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in the heart of the Indian capital for the grand opening ceremony where composer and Oscar winner A.R. Rahman will perform Oct 3.
But India’s famed Bollywood quotient will take a back seat, giving primacy to the country’s cultural heritage.
The opening ceremony will involve dances, drums, music, yoga, textiles, the sights, sounds and colours of India, encapsulating 5,000 years of culture.