So with just over an year to go for the commonwealth games, Indian authorities finally wake up to the realities.
That we are ill-prepared. That the work for the stadiums etc. is going on (IF it is going on at all, that is) at a snail's pace and won't probably be completed in time.
Why did it take them so long to learn this lesson? That we Indians are ill-prepared, more often that not?
We were ill-prepared to counter 8 men who could simply land up on our shores, walk openly on our streets into our buildings and spray bullets randomly.
We were ill-prepared when hijackers could take control of our aircraft, land in Amritsar, take off again, land in Lahore, get refuelled, land in Dubai, take off again, and land in Kandahar.
We were ill-prepared when an aircraft could simply fly over our skies and drop arms in Purulia.
We were ill-prepared when hoodlums blinded with hatred could butcher thousands of Sikhs in Delhi in 1984.
We were ill-prepared when 13 bombs went off one after the other in our economic capital.
We were ill prepared when 7 bombs ripped apart our suburban trains.
We were ill-prepared when people could drive into our Paliament complex armed with automatic rifles.
More recently, we were ill prepared when a Chief Minister could coolly build a monument (of herself!!!) over ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY ACRES OF LAND IN THE MIDDLE OF ONE OF OUR STATE'S CAPITAL.
So, dear authorities, why are you so surprised? We have been ill prepared always. Even to counter our own internal detractors, leave alone outside forces. So why are you surprised, really?
OK, forget all these 'serious' matters. You are into sports, right? So let's consider that only.
Not too long ago, in 2009 in fact, your own Mr. Suresh Kalmadi did this very trick in Pune. With the Commonwealth Youth Games. The city of Pune needed better infrastructure, not the Games. We gullible residents of Pune beleived that development of roads etc. with the Games would eventually lead to the better infrastructure that we so badly needed.
The Games came. The roads were not ready. In fact, the planned Games village was also not ready. Shooters were practicing two days before the Ganes with construction workers still walking around the site in a frantic bid to complete the work.
The Commonwealth Youth Games came and went. And dear Mr. authorities, the road near my house (Paud road. One of the main arterial roads in the city - its unfortunate that it was not the one that led to the stadium!) is STILL being dug and re-dug and re-re-re-dug for THE PAST TWO YEARS !! It is exasperating, to say the least.
And where has Suresh Kalmadi been in all this? Invisible. We only saw him when he came for the blessed Games here.
So, dear authorities, don't worry. The Games in 2010 will happen. Suresh Kalmadi will make them happen. But soon after the Games, the stadium walls will develop cracks, velodromes will crumble, polygrass will come off, but it will make not an iota of difference to Suresh Kalmadi. He will continue to rule.
That we are ill-prepared. That the work for the stadiums etc. is going on (IF it is going on at all, that is) at a snail's pace and won't probably be completed in time.
Why did it take them so long to learn this lesson? That we Indians are ill-prepared, more often that not?
We were ill-prepared to counter 8 men who could simply land up on our shores, walk openly on our streets into our buildings and spray bullets randomly.
We were ill-prepared when hijackers could take control of our aircraft, land in Amritsar, take off again, land in Lahore, get refuelled, land in Dubai, take off again, and land in Kandahar.
We were ill-prepared when an aircraft could simply fly over our skies and drop arms in Purulia.
We were ill-prepared when hoodlums blinded with hatred could butcher thousands of Sikhs in Delhi in 1984.
We were ill-prepared when 13 bombs went off one after the other in our economic capital.
We were ill prepared when 7 bombs ripped apart our suburban trains.
We were ill-prepared when people could drive into our Paliament complex armed with automatic rifles.
More recently, we were ill prepared when a Chief Minister could coolly build a monument (of herself!!!) over ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY ACRES OF LAND IN THE MIDDLE OF ONE OF OUR STATE'S CAPITAL.
So, dear authorities, why are you so surprised? We have been ill prepared always. Even to counter our own internal detractors, leave alone outside forces. So why are you surprised, really?
OK, forget all these 'serious' matters. You are into sports, right? So let's consider that only.
Not too long ago, in 2009 in fact, your own Mr. Suresh Kalmadi did this very trick in Pune. With the Commonwealth Youth Games. The city of Pune needed better infrastructure, not the Games. We gullible residents of Pune beleived that development of roads etc. with the Games would eventually lead to the better infrastructure that we so badly needed.
The Games came. The roads were not ready. In fact, the planned Games village was also not ready. Shooters were practicing two days before the Ganes with construction workers still walking around the site in a frantic bid to complete the work.
The Commonwealth Youth Games came and went. And dear Mr. authorities, the road near my house (Paud road. One of the main arterial roads in the city - its unfortunate that it was not the one that led to the stadium!) is STILL being dug and re-dug and re-re-re-dug for THE PAST TWO YEARS !! It is exasperating, to say the least.
And where has Suresh Kalmadi been in all this? Invisible. We only saw him when he came for the blessed Games here.
So, dear authorities, don't worry. The Games in 2010 will happen. Suresh Kalmadi will make them happen. But soon after the Games, the stadium walls will develop cracks, velodromes will crumble, polygrass will come off, but it will make not an iota of difference to Suresh Kalmadi. He will continue to rule.
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3 comments:
I have my doubts if we will be ready for the Games coz jus yesterday i saw the parking lot n the stadium which is under-construction barren and deserted. After getting reminders there should have been work going on day n night to complete the pending work. But i guess all the slamming has fallen on deaf ears.
Who says we are ill-prepared?
I vividly remember the wedding of the daughter of Mr. Praful Patel (aviation minister), a strikingly functional airport was built over-night...yes over-night...
The infrastructure for common-wealth game would fall in place, if there is post-games wedding, funeral of a politician...
I hope its the funeral...sorry to be so angry...but so is the state of affairs...
@ Shas - As someone who was born and brought up in Delhi, I was very proud of the city. I spoke highly about how the metro project and the CNG rule were being implemented. Now I am having doubts....
@ Amol Naik - Of course. Haven't we seen how roads get repaired barely one night before some VIP is going to visit? In Pune, there was a temple in a busy square which was becoming a problem for traffic. It became a lobbying issue for several factions. When the authorities finally decided to ACT, the temple was taken down, rebuilt a little distance away and the road repaired. ALL IN ONE NIGHT!
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