This will be over and above their task of providing an airland-water security blanket for the Games. The home minister, Mr Shivraj Patil, has proposed that the construction of major infrastructure projects, which have already suffered huge cost and time overruns, be handed over to the defence establishment. A ministerial group on the Games, headed by the human resources minister, Mr Arjun Singh, will take a view on the proposal at its next meeting in a fortnight. It is likely that the proposal will have the blessings of the Prime Minister’s Office.
The justification is that the defence services have the technical capability, experience and resources to get the nation’s capital ready in time for hosting over 10,000 sportspersons who will converge in New Delhi for the Games.
“Unless the armed forces are given active and full charge of readying sports infrastructure, stadiums, training venues and allied projects, we may become a laughing stock, given the current pace of work on these projects,” said an official who did not want to be named. As a first step, the project for an elevated corridor over Barapula Nallah to connect the main village complex in east Delhi to the Jawharlal Nehru Stadium, with interlinks to various other stadiums and venues, may be handed over to defence personnel. The Cabinet secretary, Mr K.M.
Chandrasekhar, will take the consent of the Prime Minister and the defence minister before involving the armed forces.
He has requested the Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi chief ministers to take a more active role in readying the NCR for the Games. Besides the elevated corridor, the defence services may also be tasked with readying the venues for cycling, marathon and other events across the national capital region.