Ready to Play?

01 Sep 2010 CW Team

With less than 31 days for the Commonwealth Games, some projects are still in completion mode. CW takes a closer look at the preparations for the event.

In a month, over 5,000 athletes from 71 countries and thousands of visitors will converge on New Delhi for the 19th Commonwealth Games. Believe it or not, the initial budget for the Delhi Games was just Rs 200 crore. However, this figure was soon revised to Rs 1,600 crore, excluding the Rs 4,100 crore spent on different stadia and other facilities across New Delhi-the entire city has literally been dug up and rebuilt. Then, there's the several thousand crore being utilised to build new infrastructure or renovate existing sites. The final anticipated cost: about Rs 20,000 crore.

While the controversy over corruption and missed deadlines rages on, let's take a closer look at some of the major projects...

Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium

To renovate this sports facility, the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) was entrusted with this stadium and Unity Infraprojects Ltd, Mumbai, named contractor. "With a total built-up area of 450,000 sq ft, the project includes the construction of two-tier basement parking and a hockey stadium," says S Rakesh Bhushan, DGM - Business Development, Unity Infraprojects Ltd. "It also includes a VIP gallery, new open gallery with external development and internal electrification, HVAC, fire-fighting work, lift, fire alarm, E&M works and laying of a synthetic hockey surface. The complete project cost including the laying of synthetic surface has totalled Rs 170 crore." With work completed in January, the stadium was tested with an international event during World Cup Hockey in February 2010. Being the first stadium to be successfully commissioned of all the CWG stadiums, it is said to be the best in the world for hockey.

Yamuna Sports Complex

The stadiums at Yamuna Sports Complex are owned by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA)-one for archery with 2,500 seating capacity and one for table tennis with 5,000 capacity. "Work at the complex is almost completed," says Neemo Dhar, Director - Public Relations, DDA. "It has been handed over to the Organising Committee (OC). We are working on the finishing touches and it will be ready by August 31." All civil and structural works have been undertaken by B E Billimoria. "With an investment of about Rs 160 crore, on July 31, we completed all the work from our end," reveals Dinesh R Nayak, Deputy General Manager - Technical and Marketing, B E Billimoria & Co Ltd. He adds that the complex is backed by high-end facilities, international standards of quality, green building and water conservation measures.

Talkatora Indoor Stadium

With construction work being awarded to Simplex Projects Ltd, the development of this stadium falls under the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC). "Involving an investment of Rs 100 crore, this stadium is a competition venue for boxing," says Anand Tiwari, Director - Public Relations, NDMC. "We completed work in February with the aim to provide as many green features as possible. For instance, for perimeter lighting we have used solar lights. Also, we have used fly-ash bricks." The existing stadium is upgraded with state-of-the-art facilities that include the acoustic ceiling dome, scoreboard, video screen and sports lighting with a capacity to seat 2,700 persons.

Shivaji Stadium

Developed by NDMC, the Shivaji Stadium, being a practice venue, will be ready by the first week of September. "Broadly, there is a huge legacy component to Shivaji Stadium," says Tiwari. As far as the requirement for the CWG goes, we just need a new pitch as the warm-up area for the players, the gro-und floor and the technology room." However, with an investment of Rs 150 crore, this will be a 9,400-seat open stadium.

Indira Gandhi Sports Complex

As the CPWD office tells us, the complex has three venues for wrestling, gymnastics and cycling, all completed within March-April. The complex was renovated at the cost of Rs 660 crore by JMC Projects. The revamped complex is equipped with green building features like thermal insulation of roof, energy-saving partitions and wall panels, external glazing with low-energy tinted glasses and energy-efficient lighting fixtures.

Siri Fort Sports Complex

Siri Fort Sports Complex is one of the main venues of CWG. A part of DDA's projects, Dhar says work has already been completed and the facility handed over to the OC. As Nayak says, "With an investment of about Rs 160 crore, our company has completed the civil and structural works, all finishes, plumbing and sanitary works, fire-fighting system, façade and electric work." One international event has already been held successfully at the badminton stadium, which has a seating capacity of 4,500 with retractable seating and five play courts. Also the squash stadium, where a national event has already been conducted, offers a capacity of 1,000 with 10 play courts. The complex is also backed by quality of international standards, and water conservation and green building measures.

Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Sports Complex

With renovation works completed in July, the complex was completed at a total cost of Rs 377 crore, informs CPWD, the developer for the complex. Ahluwalia Contracts (India) was the contractor. The new complex includes a total capacity of 5,178 with a competition pool, one dive pool and one warm-up pool. Also, the architects from Germany were consulted for the renovation.

Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range

As updated by CPWD, renovation of the shooting range was undertaken at Rs 150 crore. With work completed by contractor Era Infra, the range now boasts of a 10-m centrally air-conditioned indoor shooting range with 80 shooting points for pistol and small bore rifle. The range is further equipped with lighting facility to provide 2,200 lux light for high-definition television coverage, six composite shotgun ranges for trap and skeet, and a newly constructed AC armoury building.

Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium Complex

Upgraded and renovated by Era Infra, the remodelled 60,000 capacity stadium will host the showpiece athletics, weightlifting and lawn ball disciplines. As the CPWD office tells us, "With a total investment of about Rs 960 crore, work on this complex was completed on July 31." Among the important features of the stadium are high-definition television transmission, state-of-the-art sports lighting and a specially designed underground tunnel for the opening and closing ceremonies. The most innovative feature of the stadium is its membrane cable roof, the largest in Asia, made of coated glass fibre.

Commonwealth Games Village

The Games Village spread over 118 acre has been developed by Emaar MGF and includes the 2010 CWG Stadium. “Work will be completed by August 31," says Dhar. "At present, only overlays are being done.” She reveals that it's a self-contained village developed under the PPP mode. New Delhi-based Ahluwalia Contracts is the sole civil contractor for the Rs 1,000-crore village and the project has been handed over to the OC.

1 MGD sewage and water treatment plant

A 1 MGD sewage treatment plant (STP) and water treatment plant (WTP), inaugurated near the games village, will source water from the ranney wells and deep groundwater wells. The WTP is supported by the latest UF membrane technology, which will help provide first-world quality treated water. Built by VA Tech Wabag Ltd, it incurs a total cost of over Rs 35 crore. Likewise, built by UEM, the STP is supported by a membrane bioreactor technology. As Praveen Remanan, General Manager - Marketing & Business Development, UEM, says, “Water would be recycled for use in toilet flushes and A/C chillers in the Village. That is the sole purpose of this plant, which involved a total investment of around Rs 31-32 crore.”

With less than 31 days for the Commonwealth Games, some projects are still in completion mode. CW takes a closer look at the preparations for the event. In a month, over 5,000 athletes from 71 countries and thousands of visitors will converge on New Delhi for the 19th Commonwealth Games. Believe it or not, the initial budget for the Delhi Games was just Rs 200 crore. However, this figure was soon revised to Rs 1,600 crore, excluding the Rs 4,100 crore spent on different stadia and other facilities across New Delhi-the entire city has literally been dug up and rebuilt. Then, there's the several thousand crore being utilised to build new infrastructure or renovate existing sites. The final anticipated cost: about Rs 20,000 crore. While the controversy over corruption and missed deadlines rages on, let's take a closer look at some of the major projects... Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium To renovate this sports facility, the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) was entrusted with this stadium and Unity Infraprojects Ltd, Mumbai, named contractor. With a total built-up area of 450,000 sq ft, the project includes the construction of two-tier basement parking and a hockey stadium, says S Rakesh Bhushan, DGM - Business Development, Unity Infraprojects Ltd. It also includes a VIP gallery, new open gallery with external development and internal electrification, HVAC, fire-fighting work, lift, fire alarm, E&M works and laying of a synthetic hockey surface. The complete project cost including the laying of synthetic surface has totalled Rs 170 crore. With work completed in January, the stadium was tested with an international event during World Cup Hockey in February 2010. Being the first stadium to be successfully commissioned of all the CWG stadiums, it is said to be the best in the world for hockey. Yamuna Sports Complex The stadiums at Yamuna Sports Complex are owned by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA)-one for archery with 2,500 seating capacity and one for table tennis with 5,000 capacity. Work at the complex is almost completed, says Neemo Dhar, Director - Public Relations, DDA. It has been handed over to the Organising Committee (OC). We are working on the finishing touches and it will be ready by August 31. All civil and structural works have been undertaken by B E Billimoria. With an investment of about Rs 160 crore, on July 31, we completed all the work from our end, reveals Dinesh R Nayak, Deputy General Manager - Technical and Marketing, B E Billimoria & Co Ltd. He adds that the complex is backed by high-end facilities, international standards of quality, green building and water conservation measures. Talkatora Indoor Stadium With construction work being awarded to Simplex Projects Ltd, the development of this stadium falls under the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC). Involving an investment of Rs 100 crore, this stadium is a competition venue for boxing, says Anand Tiwari, Director - Public Relations, NDMC. We completed work in February with the aim to provide as many green features as possible. For instance, for perimeter lighting we have used solar lights. Also, we have used fly-ash bricks. The existing stadium is upgraded with state-of-the-art facilities that include the acoustic ceiling dome, scoreboard, video screen and sports lighting with a capacity to seat 2,700 persons. Shivaji Stadium Developed by NDMC, the Shivaji Stadium, being a practice venue, will be ready by the first week of September. Broadly, there is a huge legacy component to Shivaji Stadium, says Tiwari. As far as the requirement for the CWG goes, we just need a new pitch as the warm-up area for the players, the gro-und floor and the technology room. However, with an investment of Rs 150 crore, this will be a 9,400-seat open stadium. Indira Gandhi Sports Complex As the CPWD office tells us, the complex has three venues for wrestling, gymnastics and cycling, all completed within March-April. The complex was renovated at the cost of Rs 660 crore by JMC Projects. The revamped complex is equipped with green building features like thermal insulation of roof, energy-saving partitions and wall panels, external glazing with low-energy tinted glasses and energy-efficient lighting fixtures. Siri Fort Sports Complex Siri Fort Sports Complex is one of the main venues of CWG. A part of DDA's projects, Dhar says work has already been completed and the facility handed over to the OC. As Nayak says, With an investment of about Rs 160 crore, our company has completed the civil and structural works, all finishes, plumbing and sanitary works, fire-fighting system, façade and electric work. One international event has already been held successfully at the badminton stadium, which has a seating capacity of 4,500 with retractable seating and five play courts. Also the squash stadium, where a national event has already been conducted, offers a capacity of 1,000 with 10 play courts. The complex is also backed by quality of international standards, and water conservation and green building measures. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Sports Complex With renovation works completed in July, the complex was completed at a total cost of Rs 377 crore, informs CPWD, the developer for the complex. Ahluwalia Contracts (India) was the contractor. The new complex includes a total capacity of 5,178 with a competition pool, one dive pool and one warm-up pool. Also, the architects from Germany were consulted for the renovation. Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range As updated by CPWD, renovation of the shooting range was undertaken at Rs 150 crore. With work completed by contractor Era Infra, the range now boasts of a 10-m centrally air-conditioned indoor shooting range with 80 shooting points for pistol and small bore rifle. The range is further equipped with lighting facility to provide 2,200 lux light for high-definition television coverage, six composite shotgun ranges for trap and skeet, and a newly constructed AC armoury building. Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium Complex Upgraded and renovated by Era Infra, the remodelled 60,000 capacity stadium will host the showpiece athletics, weightlifting and lawn ball disciplines. As the CPWD office tells us, With a total investment of about Rs 960 crore, work on this complex was completed on July 31. Among the important features of the stadium are high-definition television transmission, state-of-the-art sports lighting and a specially designed underground tunnel for the opening and closing ceremonies. The most innovative feature of the stadium is its membrane cable roof, the largest in Asia, made of coated glass fibre. Commonwealth Games Village The Games Village spread over 118 acre has been developed by Emaar MGF and includes the 2010 CWG Stadium. “Work will be completed by August 31, says Dhar. At present, only overlays are being done.” She reveals that it's a self-contained village developed under the PPP mode. New Delhi-based Ahluwalia Contracts is the sole civil contractor for the Rs 1,000-crore village and the project has been handed over to the OC. 1 MGD sewage and water treatment plant A 1 MGD sewage treatment plant (STP) and water treatment plant (WTP), inaugurated near the games village, will source water from the ranney wells and deep groundwater wells. The WTP is supported by the latest UF membrane technology, which will help provide first-world quality treated water. Built by VA Tech Wabag Ltd, it incurs a total cost of over Rs 35 crore. Likewise, built by UEM, the STP is supported by a membrane bioreactor technology. As Praveen Remanan, General Manager - Marketing & Business Development, UEM, says, “Water would be recycled for use in toilet flushes and A/C chillers in the Village. That is the sole purpose of this plant, which involved a total investment of around Rs 31-32 crore.”