When Urban Planning met Common Wealth Games in Delhi

Suddenly the hue and cry over the Common Wealth Games (CWG) induced corruption has marred the Delhi and sporting politics in country. An investment estimated to be over Rs. 30,000 crores for the games, for which over 70 percent goes to building sports and other support infrastructure.

Delhi would not need the funds of JnNURM when they get a mega investment in its visible physical infrastructure. A investment that would make the city global (using the cacophony attached)! tends to be missed by the city planners. Those even in MCD, DDA and NCT authorities are pegging high hopes in effective implementation of the schemes targetted at Delhi but serving the 15 days mega event. Why not develop some sporting city in country encompassing all the gaming events? Delhi has now become not only administrative capital but it has also added a tag of sporting capital of country. The event though may come and go..it would leave giant structures tough to look after once close ceremonies would be over.

The planning authorieties likely to be marred in corrupt practices during the CWG construction phase would face an axe once culprits are to be cought. The hordes of technical support staff from the agencies need themselves to stand in que in order to be investigated or come clear from audits (which may take years to resolve). Delhi was not planned by their master planners to be sporting hub, yet spaces are carved out from the public reserved lands to host the event and place permanent structures on it. What would be left for their citizens and other planning needs in future. Lands which was supposed to last for next 20 years of demand have been exhausted in last five years of activities.

May for the future needs we may have look to aerial spaces in high rises to accomodate the demand for public spaces other then sports. Master planning for Delhi would be caught in mess within next five years, since the spaces would be left unutilized or underutilized given the state of sports in country and Delhi. Yes the elite and powerful would have enough time to join the clubs costing Delhi its dear open spaces...