2010 Delhi gamesThe Commonwealth Games is a world class Sports meet, held after every 4 years. The recent Commonwealth Games were held in Melbourne, Australia from 15 - 26 March 2006 and next will be hosted in New Delhi, India, 2010. The Commonwealth Games is a multinational, multi-sport event. Held every four years, it involves the elite athletes of the Commonwealth of Nations. Attendance at the Commonwealth Games is typically around 5,000 athletes.
The Host of Commonwealth Games 2010
Olympic games of LondonThe city of New Delhi, with a population of 14 million, will be the host of Commonwealth Games 2010. This will be the first time India will host the Commonwealth Games and the second time in Asia. New Delhi won the right to host the 2010 Games by defeating the Canadian city of Hamilton by 46 votes to 22 at the CGF General Assembly held in Montego Bay in November 2003.
The Mascot of Delhi games 2010
The logo for the 2010 Commonwealth Games was revealed on 6 January 2008 at an event taking place at the India Gate. The logo is inspired by the Ashoka Chakra, a symbol of freedom, unity, and power. Its spiraling upwards symbolizes India's rise as a global power and its transition from tradition to modernity. The colours symbolize India's vibrant and diverse culture and people, and each part of the logo symbolizes India welcoming the 71 Commonwealth nations and territories to take part in the 17 sports events.
Controversy with New Delhi Games 2010 According to report bulldozers razed the makeshift homes belonging to hundreds of slum inhabitants within New Delhi earlier this year as the Indian government moved to improve the city for the 2010 Commonwealth Games. Officials say the land is for a road and the demolitions are simply part of a master plan to clean up the city and move slum-dwellers to proper housing. But, the government says, there will be no relocation for poor families because they do not meet relocation requirements. Critics say demolishing housing that has been here for years and relocating some residents but not others will hurt many who live on the margins of society.
Events in Delhi Games 2010
There are 17 events planned for the 2010 Commonwealth Games.
* Aquatics
* Archery
* Athletics
* Badminton
* Boxing
* Cycling
* Gymnastics
* Hockey
* Lawn Bowls
* Netball
* Rugby 7s
* Shooting
* Squash
* Table Tennis
* Tennis
* Weightlifting
* Wrestling
Kabaddi will also be a demonstration sport at the 2010 Games.
New Delhi Games 2010 Village
A modern Games Village is being built by the DDA along the east bank of the Yamuna River at a cost of USD 230.7 million. The Games Village will be spread over an area of 63.5 hectare (158.4 acre) and is situated near renowned monument and landmark Akshardham Temple. The Delhi Games 2010 Village will hold a possible capacity for 8,500 athletes and officials. Though there have been many environmental concerns about the Games Village Site, Official of the DDA announced that the Games Village would be completed by December 2009.
History of Commonwealth Games
The first such event, then known as the British Empire Games, was held in 1930 in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The name changed to British Empire and Commonwealth Games in 1954, to British Commonwealth Games in 1970 and assumed the current name of the Commonwealth Games in 1974. As well as many Olympic sports, the Games also include some sports that are played mainly in Commonwealth countries, such as lawn bowls, rugby sevens and netball. At the 1930 games, women competed in Swimming and Diving only. In 1934 women competed in some Athletics events also.
The Events in Commonwealth Games
The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) is the organisation that is responsible for the direction and control of the Commonwealth Games. There are currently 53 members of the Commonwealth of Nations, and 71 teams participate in the Games. The four constituent countries of the United Kingdom - England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland - send separate teams to the Commonwealth Games (unlike at the Olympic Games, where the United Kingdom sends a single team), and individual teams are also sent from the British Crown dependencies - Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man - and many of the British overseas territories. The Australian external territory of Norfolk Island also sends its own team, as do the Cook Islands and Niue, two non-sovereign states in free association with New Zealand. Only six teams have attended every Commonwealth Games: Australia, Canada, England, New Zealand, Scotland and Wales. Australia has been the highest scoring team for ten games, England for seven and Canada for one.
Preparation for Delhi Games 2010
New Delhi already has many elements of modern infrastructure in place such as mass transportation, pollution checks, and new highways. However, to prepare the city for the influx of people that will occur during the 2010 games, the Indian government is pouring an estimated $47.5 billion into the city for it to be ready in time for the 2010 games. This money will be used to give the entire city a facelift, including the construction of new roads, an increase in public transport, the construction of new power plants, water utility services, the Games Village, city beautification, better connectivity, traffic management, parking, security and health services, etc...
Delhi has also proposed a four-lane, 2.2 km underground stretch from Ring Road to Lodhi, linking the Games Village to the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium and reducing traveling time for athletes traveling between the Village and the Stadium by six minutes. In response to concerns over the large number of trains that pass by the Delhi metropolitan region daily, construction of road under-bridges and over-bridges along railway lines has been started.
To expand road infrastructure, flyovers, cloverleaf flyovers, and bridges have been planned to provide connectivity to the Games Village, to sports venues, to hospitals, and for intra-city connectivity. Road-widening projects have been under process, with an emphasis being placed on expanding national highways. To improve traffic flow on existing road, plans are underway to make both the inner and outer Ring roads signal free
To support its commitment to mass transportation, nine corridors have been identified and are being constructed as High Capacity Bus Systems(BRT). Additionally, Delhi Metro will be expanded to accommodate more people and boost the use of public transportation during the 2010 games. By then it will have the second longest network in the world and later the longest, which will be more than 420 km.
To further support air travel, the Indira Gandhi International Airport is being modernized, expanded, and upgraded. By the 2010 games, a new terminal (Terminal 3) will have been constructed, with the capability to cater to more than 35 million passengers a year. This terminal will have over 130 check in counters, 55 aerobridges, 30 parking bays, 72 immigration counters, 15 X-ray screening areas, duty free shops, and much more. The airport will also have a new runway to cater more than 75 plus flights an hour; the runway will be more than 4400 meters long and one of Asia's longest.
To prepare for the energy-usage spike during the Games and to provide additional power to Delhi, the government is undertaking a large power-production initiative to increase power production to 7,000 MW (from the current 4,500 MW). To achieve this goal, the government plans to streamline the power distribution process, direct additional energy to Delhi, and construct new power plants. In fact, the government has promised that by 2010, Delhi will have a surplus of power.
2010 host : New Delhi, IndiaDelhi won the right to host the 2010 Games by defeating the Canadian city of Hamilton by 46 votes to 22 at the CGF General Assembly held in Montego Bay in November 2003.
