With just 62 days left to go for the start of New Delhi’s much-hyped Commonwealth Games in October, skeletons continue to tumble out almost every single day. Given that a five-year lead time was available, the manner in which preparations are being completed at this extremely late stage make for a sorry tale of procrastination, indecision and adhocism. Inevitably, those who hover looking for opportunities to make a quick buck under precisely such conditions are reportedly having a field day. The latest shockers range from unspecified payouts for the Queen’s Baton Relay rollout in London — strenuously denied by organising committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi — to the far more serious matter of shoddy construction work deliberately concealed by means of false/forged quality assurance certificates for the many infrastructure projects taken up all around the nation’s capital. If even a tenth of these reports are true — and there is no reason at present to suppose they are not — it simply highlights how corruption and opportunism of the worst kind are at play here. At stake is India’s image as host to an international sporting event that might draw close to 10,000 athletes and officials from around the world. Given the scale and success of what South Africa pulled off with the 2010 Fifa World Cup, the focus will be sharper than it might otherwise have been. Adding to the mess are reports that four years ago the Delhi government had sought an exemption into any sort of investigation or examination of the work on the ground, which suggests that even then it suspected that all would not be above board as the inevitable rush began to complete projects. This is what is happening now, and going by past experience, the Games deadline will be used as a driver to set aside all other issues, leaving the question of punishment for the corrupt or merely inept for a later date that might never come. India is now striving to shed its image as a regional power and join the world’s top table. It is therefore very much possible that simply ensuring that the Games go through with as little disruption as possible will be the priority, and related matters and problems that are mushrooming by the day will be looked on for now as distractions from the larger purpose. In doing so however, those guilty of flouting the law or even of inefficiency and sloth will escape yet again, as they have so successfully done for many years now.
Sharpen the focus to the Games themselves, and the picture is no better. Mr Kalmadi has repeatedly refused to take responsibility for delayed or poorly refurbished stadia and other Games-related infrastructure. But someone must carry the can for shoddy preparation and work. At an event to test the preparedness of the swimming venue, one young participant was injured by a loose tile — just days after the pool and playing area was handed over to the organising committee. This is just one example of how Games venues are throwing up problems, which ideally should have been spotted and sorted out months earlier, and not at this late stage. But when you have people at the top who are adept at passing the buck instead of standing up and taking responsibility, it sets a template for others to follow. So we have — and will continue to have — the spectacle of last-minute work and consequent problems, emergency purchases and last-minute finalising of contracts, adhocism on issue after issue. All this in the name of just making sure that the Games are held, regardless of the long-term costs involved. Greece is still paying the price of a similar approach to the 2004 Athens Olympics. Delhi 2010 threatens to be no different.