Reality check for C’wealth Games

Saurabh Sinha

New Delhi, October 22

The Delhi government on Wednesday asked the city’s infrastructure wing — mainly water and power departments — to gear up for the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

While Transco has been asked to complete four projects in time for the Games, DJB has no clue as to how the water demand will be met during the event.

“We will seek a detailed requirement plan from DDA. Basically we can supply groundwater through tubewells on the riverbed and treat it to meet this demand. But the quality of groundwater is deteriorating so fast that by 2010 no one knows whether it would remain usable or not,” a senior official said.

Neither can the much-delayed Sonia Vihar line be reserved just for the games. South and east Delhi are desperately awaiting this plant’s water. Other projects in the pipeline also don’t add up to much.

Transco, on the other hand, was more confident. “As per our action plan, new grid stations at Maharani Bagh, Siri Fort, Akshar Dham and the upgraded Lodhi Station should help provide reliable and steady supply. These would be completed before the games,” a senior Transco official said.

Distcoms are also working on the distribution network.

*******************

Time to buck up

• DJB asked to submit plan for the Games
• Central Ground Water Board not keeping check on water quality