New Delhi Games Village 2010

New Delhi is a business and political hub for India since medivial times till date. This is what it is famous for, in and outside India. It had an opportunity to host the Asian Games in 1981 but that was way back. It has regained its reputation as a business and political hub since then. What really is happening now is that New Delhi has to prove and present itself as a city which is a sports hub too apart from being just what it is.

New Delhi Games Village is something completly new that is happening in New Delhi or even in India

The Indian capital will have five new stadiums and a Games Village for the Commonwealth Games 2010 to be held in October.

One indoor stadium each will be constructed at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium for weightlifting, Indira Gandhi Sports Complex for wrestling, Siri Fort for badminton and squash and Yamuna Complex for table tennis.

New Delhi games village plan

A 47.3 hectare (118 acre) picturesque site has been selected on the banks of the holy river Yamuna. To be created at a cost of USD 40 million, the Games Village has been underwritten by the government. There will be no cost to the Organizing Committee. Within its immediate vicinity are heritage monuments and historical landmarks. Combined with the dense green natural cover on the sides, it will be a relaxing and soothing environment for the athletes and officials. Athletes and Officials from all sports will stay at this one village. This facility will provide ultimate world class facility to the athlete. The development is in full swing.

Delhi University was asked to build the Aquatics Center but its inability to build it due to many different reasons have been shown, other venues for holding aquatics events and rugby were under review.

The government is on the look out for many other venues in and around New Delhi to hold many different events. The planning are all complete and it's just the implementation that is taking place.

Setting out a time table, government said the work on sports venues was proposed to be completed by December 2009, which is a kind of risk if you compare it with the dates when the games are supposed to start, the Games Village by August 2010 and civic infrastructure in phases by September 2010.

Commonwealth Games 2010 Overview

The commonwealth is NOT a political union of any sort, and it does not allow exercise of any power over the affairs of the organization's members. As it looks like, the organization is not made to influence any country economically or politically or to practice the strength of one country over the other but it is meant to establish and strengthen a friendly relationship between the member countries to help each others in future.

So, let me explain, in a layman's language (the way I have learned) what Commonwealth and Commonwealth Games are all about.

The Commonwealth is primarily an organization in which countries with diverse economic backgrounds have an opportunity for close and equal interaction. The primary activities of the Commonwealth are designed to create an atmosphere of economic co-operation between member nations, as well as the promotion of democracy, human rights, and good governance in those nations.

As you might have guessed by now, the various sports activities like Aquatics, Athletics, Badminton, Bowls, Boxing, Cycling, EAD Events, Gymnastics, Hockey, Netball, Rugby 7s, Shooting, Squash, Table Tennis and Weightlifting are all meant to bring the countries together to strengthen the relationships. This time (2006) it was Australia next time (2010) it will be India.

The important part to remember here is, just because you are a member country, this does not give you the right to organize the Commonwealth Games in your country. There are criterion that the member country has to meet before it can even "bid" for the commonwealth games to be held on its land.

You got a new term there, BID. Yes you heard that right, a member country actually has to place a bid and win the bid so that the games could be played on its land. India has won the bid last time over Canada. This is a moment of great pride that the events are going to be held in India, they not only won the bid but they are actually very close to meet all the deadlines that were given to prepare for the games and improve the infrastructure according to the international standards.