Is Delhi ready to welcome Queen's Baton?

AFTER SO many controversies, embarrassments and numerous delays, Commonwealth Games Village is now finally complete and perhaps ready for the players to settle in. Although things have turned around quite a bit, a lot of work still remains to be done. It is time for Delhi and Delhiites to brace themselves for welcoming Queen’s Baton which arrived in India on June 25, 2010 through Wagah Border.

Queen’s Baton will enter Delhi from Gurgaon on September 30, 2010. Now, the question that arises is: Is Delhi ready to welcome the Queen's Baton?

Our Commonwealth Games organisers are busy only with Commonwealth Games Village. An average Delhiite expected that there would be significant changes in their lives from hosting this mega sports event. However, the situation has hardly changed and cosmetic development is taking place around the Games Village. As the host city to CWG 2010, it is perhaps natural that the capital should get a well-deserved face lift. There is still heaps of garbage on the main streets and roads which has not been removed for months.

The bumpy roads and potholes, mud, bricks and all sorts of trash including human waste is what decorates the footpaths of 80 per cent of Delhi roads. But, who cares. The garbage all over the city still needs a sustainable solution. It is highly surprising that number of buildings, uncompleted structures and slum clusters etc. are being hidden under wraps and poor labourers are forced to leave the city for clean up drive. Organisers are hell bent on ensuring that the visitors get a feel that is akin to world-class cities such as Paris and Sydney.

People are yet to hear CWG anthem and authorities clueless about it. Hardly anyone in India has heard Rahman’s CWG anthem. During FIFA World Cup, Indians were busy crooning Waka Waka, which was the football anthem. But shame, this is our own event and we still have not heard the anthem. The country is already too embarrassed but who cares?

Delhi, indeed needs a magic wand to welcome Queen’s Baton.

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