Implicating Tourism in the Commonwealth Games, 2010 - Equitable ...

...benefits from tourism?“Humanity-Equality-Destiny?”Implicating Tourism in the Commonwealth Games 2010...displacementbenefits for youth & sports?.....social benefits...democratic participation?...inclusive growth?...tax burden on citizensEQUATIONS

ContentsACRONYMS & ABBREVIATIONS >> 03ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS >> 05INTRODUCTION >> 07SPORTS TOURISM & MEGA EVENTS >> 09The Importance of Being a Mega-HostSignalling Progress through SportDeveloping a Culture of Sports in India – the Silenced DebateThe Absence of SportINVESTING OUR COMMON WEALTH>> 19The Story of India’s BidFrom Rs. 296 crore to Rs. 12,888 crore to 30,000 crore & still countingThe BudgetRecovering Costs & Returns on InvestmentLegacy for Whom?ACCESSORISING TOURISM pinning hopes, uncovering myths >> 29Guessing Game: Arriving at the NumbersThe Obsession with Hotel RoomsRea(i)lty Scam?The Spill-OverMarketing the Games, Marketing IndiaTraining & Awareness ProgrammesAthithi Devo BhavaTHE MAKING OF THE WORLD CLASS CITY >> 45Fortifying InfrastructureTransportation & AccessibilityThe Lust for LandImplicating Tourism in the World Class City ProjectGreenwash GamesCOLLATERAL DAMAGE: the impacts of CWG 2010 >> 59Economic ImpactsPurging the PoorExploiting Construction WorkersDisplacing the UnsightlyOperation CleanseChildren at RiskIncrease in Sex WorkTransforming CultureDemocratic Deficit & Public ParticipationRTI Merry Go Round – Foiling the Citizen’s Right to InformationBattling Public InterestDucking the EIA ProcessIN CONCLUSION: the Commonwealth Casualties >> 75REFERENCES >> 78

ANNEXURES>> 81Annexure 1: Tourism- Hit or Miss?Annexure 2: The Right to InformationAnnexure 3: Official Tourism Statistics & AnalysisAnnexure 4: Plans to Augment Amenities & ServicesAnnexure 5: EQUATIONS petition opposing plan to impose Section 144 during CWG 2010Annexure 6: The FIFA World Cup - Fever in South Africa, a Case StudyAnnexure 7: Mega Sports, Displacements & Forced Evictions- a dismal recordAnnexure 8: Evictions in Delhi directly attributable to CWG 2010Annexure 9: Countries in the global south who have declared zero tolerance against child sexualabuse in tourism/signed the International Code of Conduct for Protection of ChildrenAnnexure 10: Working around the EIA- Extracts from the PIL indicating the events leading to theGames Village getting an EIA clearance

Acronyms & AbbreviationsAAI – Airports Authority of IndiaASI – Archaeological Survey of IndiaASSOCHAM – Associated Chambers of Commerce &Industry of IndiaATEC – Australian Tourism Export CouncilB&B – Bed & BreakfastBJP – Bharatiya Janata PartyBPBA – Bombay Prevention of Begging ActBRT – Bus Rapid TransportCAG – Comptroller & Auditor General of IndiaCBCI – Commonwealth Business Club of IndiaCEC – Central Empowered CommitteeCFA – Central Financial AssistanceCGA – Commonwealth Games AssociationCGC – Commonwealth Games Association of CanadaCGF – Commonwealth Games FederationCIC – Central Information CommissionCII – Confederation of Indian IndustryCoF – Conservator of ForestsCOHRE – Centre on Housing Rights & EvictionsCSIR – Centre for Scientific & Industrial ResearchCWG – Commonwealth GamesDDA – Delhi Development AuthorityDFS – Delhi Fire ServiceDIAL – Delhi International Airport LimitedDJB – Delhi Jal BoardDMRC – Delhi Metro Rail CorporationDPCC – Delhi Pollution Control CommitteeDTL – Delhi Transco LimitedDUAC – Delhi Urban Arts CommissionEAC – Expert Appraisal CommitteeEIA – Environmental Impact AssessmentETOA – European Tour Operators AssociationEWS – Economically Weaker SectionFEE – Foreign Exchange EarningsFICCI – Federation of Indian Chambers ofCommerce & IndustryFIFA – Federation de International FootballAssociationFTA – Foreign Tourist ArrivalsGDP – Gross Domestic ProductGEC – Commonwealth Games EvaluationCommissionGoI – Government of IndiaGNCTD – Government of the National CapitalTerritory of DelhiGSSP – Games Statement of Securities PrinciplesGV – Games VillageHIG – High Income GroupIGI Airport – Indira Gandhi International AirportIITM – Indian Institute of Tropical MeteorologyIITTM – Indian Institute of Tourism & TravelManagementINR – Indian RupeesINTACH – Indian National Trust for Art & CulturalHeritageIOA – Indian Olympic AssociationISS – Integrated Security SystemITPO – India Trade Promotion Organisation3

ITDC – India Tourism Development Corporation Ltd.LandDO – Land & Development OfficeLEOs – Labour En forcement OfficersLIG – Low Income GroupMBC – Media Broadcasting CentreMCD – Municipal Corporation of DelhiMIG – Medium Income GroupMLE – Ministry of Labour & EmploymentMP – Member of ParliamentMPC – Media Press CentreMoEF – Ministry of Environment & ForestMoT – Ministry of TourismMoU – Memorandum of UnderstandingMUD – Ministry of Urban DevelopmentMYAS – Ministry of Youth Affairs & SportNCR – National Capital RegionNCT – National Capital Territory of DelhiNDMC – New Delhi Municipal CouncilNEERI – National Environmental EngineeringResearch InstituteNOC – No Objection CertificateOC – Organising Committee, Commonwealth Games2010PIL – Public Interest LitigationPNG – Pipeline Natural GasPSC - Parliamentary Standing Committee onTransport, Tourism & CulturePUDR – People’s Union for Democratic RightsPYKKA – Panchayat Yuva Krida aur Khel AbhiyanRs. – RupeesRTI – Right to InformationSAFAR – System of Air Quality Forecasting &ResearchSAI – Sports Authority of IndiaSMAM – Sport Marketing & Management PrivateLimitedSC – Supreme CourtSMAM – Sport Marketing & Management PrivateLimitedT & T OC – Trinidad & Tobago Olympic CommitteeUN – United NationsUNDP – United Nations Development ProgrammeUNEP – United Nations Environment ProgrammeUP – Uttar PradeshUS – United StatesUSD – United States DollarNotes1. Indian numbering systemLakh & crore are used instead of million & billion1 lakh = 10000010 lakhs = 1 million1 crore = 100 lakhs (10000000) or 10 million100 crores = 1000 million = 1 billion2. Currency conversionsAs many figures in documents we have referred to are inUSD, we have used a uniform conversion of $1 = INR 45(Indian Rupees), just to give the reader a sense of whatit translates to in INR. Obviously this is simplistic & is notintended to be an accurate conversion or reflection of valuein that year.Thus a thumb rule conversion used is1 million USD = 4.5 crore INR0.22 million USD = 1 crore INR4

AcknowledgementsWe would like to thank Mani Shankar Aiyar (MP and Former Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports).Sujit Banerjee (Secretary, Ministry of Tourism).Rahul Bhatnagar (Joint Secretary, Ministry of YouthAffairs and Sports).Bharat Bhushan (Director (Scientific).Ministry of Environment and Forests).Leena Nandan (Project Director (Host Broadcasting Team, Doordarshan Ministry of Information andBroadcasting) for giving us personal interviews that have contributed towards this researchreport.Valuable inputs and insights have been received from many members of civil society forwhich thanks is due. In particular we would like to thank Wilson Bezwada (Safai KaramchariAndolan).Prasenjit Bose (Convenor, Research Unit of the Communist Party of India (Marxist).Shivani Choudhary (Housing and Land Rights Network).Ritwick Dutta (Legal Initiative forForest and Environment).Soumya Dutta (Delhi Platform).Sanjay Gupta (Chetna).KanchiKohli (Kalpavriksh Environment Action Group).Miloon Kothari (Housing and Land RightsNetwork).Kalyani Menon-Sen (Jagori).Shalini Mishra (Housing and Land Rights Network).Dr Usha Ramanathan (law researcher).Nina Rao (tourism academic and activist).PrabhakarRao (Kalpavriksh Environment Action Group).Professor K.T. Ravindran (Head, Departmentof Urban Design, School of Planning and Architecture, Delhi).Dunu Roy (Hazards Centre).Lopamudra Sanyal (Sweccha - We for Change).Shashi Saxena (People’s Union for DemocraticRights).Sunny Verma (Sweccha - We for Change).Vinayak Uppal (formerly with Centre for CivilSociety, presently with Southern Sudan Centre for Census Statistics and Evaluation, Governmentof Southern Sudan).5

IntroductionSport has little to do with the playground these days. Sporting events, particularly mega sporting eventsare being used by nations in interesting and often contestable ways – as a political statement, as animage building and branding exercise for a nation, a nation building exercise, a means to urban renewal,creating top class cities by investing heavily in city infrastructure and state-of-the-art sporting facilities,economic growth and employment, promoting tourism, and are money spinning exercises for individualsinvolved as well as the organisers.This report seeks to explore the developments associated with sport mega events, in the run up to theCommonwealth Games (CWG), 2010 in Delhi. The report draws on the links between mega-sport events, tourism,and notions of development in particular. Apart from giving India its moment to bask under the global spotlight,one of the primary stated purposes of bringing the Commonwealth Games to India in 2010 is to tap potentialgains from tourism to the Indian economy. Delhi, the host-city is highly influenced by the idea of being a “worldclasscity”, and several social, economic and cultural impacts of the image-building exercise in the run up to thegames, are directly or indirectly related to the official imagination of what tourism is or should be.Host-nations who use the platform of a mega-event as an opportunity to fast-track development are notparticularly concerned with distinctions between kinds of tourists and their motivations or even the experiencesof other countries in hosting mega events. The pressure that a host-nation feels to perform and project itself ina particular manner and its need to undertake certain kind of development activities seem to be delinked fromthese realities. As a result little attention is paid to the impacts of these decisions and developments - somebeing labelled as unintended consequences and others simply as collateral damage.The report is divided into five sections.Section I: SPORTS TOURISM AND MEGA EVENTSLinking sports tourism and mega events, thissection traces how mega-sports events are usedas a strategy for growth and global recognition. Itattempts to understand what India hopes to achievepolitically and in development terms by staging theCommonwealth Games 2010.Section II: INVESTING OUR COMMON WEALTHThis section is focussed on the history of India’s bid,the story of exponentially growing budgets and thepledging of public funds, all in the name of nationalpride.Section III: ACCESSORIZING TOURISM – pinning hopes,uncovering mythsThis section examines the hopes and myths, aswell as assumptions and mental models about thetourism potential of the Games. Linked to this arethe preparations being undertaken for tourists, thespill-over potential of the Games and making the cityof Delhi a more hospitable environment for foreigntourists.Section IV: THE MAKING OF THE WORLD CLASS CITYThe idea of the world class city and the Gamesare intrinsically linked. This section details thedevelopments in Delhi towards making it world class,which are ostensibly about it being prepared to hostthe Commonwealth Games 2010Section V: COLLATERAL DAMAGE – the impacts of CWG2010This section examines social, cultural, economic,environmental, political and human rights impactsensuing from the preparations under way, particularlythe place of accountability, public participation, andpublic consensus in hosting the CWG 2010 in Delhi.As we mark the countdown to the CommonwealthGames 2010, and the Games Baton travels across thecountry, the report in its conclusion identifies whatare already evident as its key casualties.EQUATIONS teamJuly 20107

SECTION ISPORTS TOURISM & MEGA EVENTS9

The link between sports-related mega-events and tourism is now a well-established, oft-citedassociation used by nations to justify their efforts to host a mega-event. This section seeksto explore why nations vie with each other to host mega-events such as the CommonwealthGames and the Olympics and what the flaws in their reasoning are. This section also exploresthe reasons India chose to bid for the Commonwealth Games, and the debates in the arena ofsports policy that have sprung even as Delhi is gearing up to play host in October 2010.The Importance of Being a Mega-HostAided and abetted by global competitiveness,a sense of euphoria envelopes a city/countrywhen it is chosen to host a mega-event, especiallysince the chosen city would have competed withother equally capable cities. Gearing up for themega-event becomes the pet project of the cityadministration, and developments towards this getassociated in public consciousness as symbols ofnational pride.In Delhi, with the shadow of the 2010Commonwealth Games looming over its shoulder,much of that euphoria is now turning into thetension of being the host. As timelines for variouscity infrastructure projects and sporting venueshave long passed, uncomfortable questions aboutwhether various preparations toward the Gameswill at least be completed before the Games arescheduled to start are being asked.Indeed there are already plans to put up scaffoldnettings or shade cloth of high density polythenemicrofilaments (that is dust and fire-proof) tocover unfinished construction sites near Gamesvenues “aesthetically”, so that the city does notappear “underprepared” 1 . While national pride hasits place, the embarrassment of dealing with theups and downs of organising a mega event is notentirely unexpected, and the pressure to performis monumental. It is considered insulting to havea situation where the Games are cancelled,rescheduled, or moved to another location if thehost city/country ultimately falls short of thepromises it held out when the decision to host thegames was taken. With a little over two months tothe Games, and a scramble with shifting deadlinesfor completion of infrastructure projects, theOpposition party BJP has announced its intentionto bring out their own report. 2So why would any city/country bid to hold a megaevent in the first place? What would it gain fromorganising a mega-sports event that will not lastmore than 10 or 15 days?Apart from promoting sports and sport facilities,which is stating the obvious, urban regeneration,economic growth and development of tourismhave been consistently proffered as the “benefits”of mega-events and provided as the rationale forbringing the Games to a city.In a series of reports linking mega events andhousing rights the Geneva based Centre for HousingRights and Evictions (COHRE) 3 notes “Mega-eventscommonly also termed ‘hallmark events’, arelarge-scale tourist events of limited duration,designed to generate attention and attract support(often in terms of public funding and privateinvestment) in order to stimulate redevelopment.The staging of a mega-event is typically motivatedby three key concerns:(1) Putting the city ‘on the world map’ (increasingtourism);(2) Boosting economic investment in the city andattracting capital (for improving urban infrastructureand redevelopment); and(3) ‘Reimagining’ the city. 4These aspects also figure prominently in what theIndian Government hopes to achieve by bringingthe Games to Delhi. 5Revenues will never cover costs, and there areno profits to be made. It would therefore be rarefor a mega event to be sponsored privately, whichmeans that it is the public sector that has to stepup each time, risking the tax-payer’s money. Thepublic sector motivation therefore, is with the spinoffs associated with the Games. 6However, there are an increasing number of studiesthat show that many of these aspects construedas beneficial to the host city and country areexaggerated and false promises.10

Urban regeneration is prioritised and fast-trackedto meet deadlines and in the process socialdisplacement, land acquisition, environmentaldegradation, violation of worker’s rights, disruptionof residents lifestyle go unaddressed and the“pressure to deliver infrastructure and sportingfacilities provides a rationale for overridingmandatory participatory planning processes”. 7Of equal concern is that these large projects aresusceptible to cost-over runs. In Barcelona theOlympics” costs increased almost five fold, from237 million pesetas (April 1985) (Rs. 8.3 crores) 8to the final figure of 1,119 million pesetas (July1993) (Rs. 39.2 crores). For the 2002 ManchesterCommonwealth Games the final price tag was fourtimes the original bid estimate. 9 A report presentedto the Vancouver City Council estimated that itcost the city $554 million (Rs. 2493 crores) to hostthe Winter Olympics 2009. 10 The anticipated finalbill for the London Olympics 2012 is projected tobe £7.267 billion (Rs. 50869 crores), 11 accordingto the Olympic authority’s quarterly EconomicReport. 12The European Tour Operators Association (ETOA) ina hard hitting study addressing the potential lureof the 2012 London Olympic 13 shows that “there isno strong link between hosting sporting events andincreased tourism. The audiences regularly citedfor such events as the Olympics are exaggerated.Attendees at the Games displace normal visitorsand scare tourists away for some time. Both Sydneyand Barcelona had “excellent” Olympic Games,but their tourism industries have not significantlybenefited. Thus there appears to be little evidenceof any benefit to tourism of hosting an OlympicGames, and considerable evidence of damage”.This ‘post Olympic blight ‘is supposed to have beencommon to all the cities that hosted the Gamessince Seoul in 1988, which were held in Barcelona,Atlanta, Sydney, Athens and Beijing. The reportdistinguishes ‘sports visitors’ from ‘regularvisitors’. Sports visitors are interested in sportand not in tourism, according to the ETOA, so themain spending is on hotel accommodation, whichpredominantly house officials, athletes, mediapersons and sport enthusiasts whose behaviour isakin to businessmen coming in for a convention.Regular visitors expect congestion and increasedprices, which dissuades them from travelling toa country during a mega-event. The report urgesthat it is vital that the problems experienced bythe host cities of past Games be acknowledged andaddressed in order to avoid them reoccurring. 14With respect to economic growth, money spentby tourists often does not stay within the localeconomy as money towards hotel rooms andrestaurants that are likely to be national orinternational chains accrue to stockholders ratherthan those in the local economy. To the extentthat attendees at a sporting event spend theirmoney on that sporting event instead of on otheractivities (tourism linked) the sporting eventsimply results in a reallocation of expendituresin the economy rather than a real net increasein economic activity. 15 During the ManchesterGames, 31.5 percent of the tickets were soldto people living in greater Manchester, so theirexpenditures were not “new money.” One studyfound that spending per visitor during the Olympicswas lower than spending by the average touristat other times. In Atlanta in 1996 spending pertourist was significantly lower than normal in areasnot adjacent to Olympic venues and affectedbusinesses up to 150 miles (241 km) away. 16Unaccounted for, often, in the argument of megasports events boosting tourism, is the “crowdingout” effect which results in domestic andinternational tourists avoiding the destination ofa mega event to avoid the congestion associatedwith it. Studies indicate that for the OlympicGames held between 1964 and 1984, most casessaw a drop on the number of visitors. In LosAngeles, attendance figures at popular touristdestinations were down 30 to 50 percent duringthe Olympics. Victoria had more tourists four yearsbefore the Commonwealth Games rather thanduring the 1994 Games. 17 A New York Times report,quoting the Indian Express, put the number ofinternational tourists for the Asiad held in Delhi in1982 at a shocking 200. 18The relationship between host cities and megasporting events has always been complex.For example, the slogan, “We want bread notcircuses”, raised by Toronto inhabitants hadderailed the city’s Olympic bid in 1996. 19 The bidto host the CWG 2014 by Halifax, Canada was“withdrawn amid increasing criticism about thegrowing cost and a perceived lack of transparencyin the bid process. Barry Barnet, Nova Scotia’sminister of health promotion, told a newsconference in Halifax that an independent analysisof the Games “has led us to the unfortunatedecision that the 2014 Commonwealth Games aresimply beyond our fiscal capacity”. 20 The original11

estimated figure of $1.6 billion (Rs. 7,200 crores)presented by the Halifax 2014 CommonwealthGames Bid Society, (the Commonwealth GamesAssociation of Canada (CGC)) was consideredtoo high, and they committed to bring it downto $1 billion (Rs. 4,500 crores). Sport Canadacommissioned an independent consultant toevaluate the business plan and budgets, and theresulting “McMahon Report”, was handed over tothe province and regional governments in draftform without any prior review by the Bid Societyor the CGC. The McMahon Report was very criticalof the business plan and budget, and the very nextday, provincial and regional governments withdrewtheir support, before the Bid Society had the timeto bring down the budget to $ 1 billion. 21Similarly, New Zealand withdrew its support toAuckland’s bid to host the 2018 CommonwealthGames, on the grounds that a projected 600million New Zealand dollar loss (US$ 420 million/ Rs. 1890 crores) on the event was too large.Prime Minister John Key said economic analysis hadshown the loss to taxpayers on the games, evenafter tourism revenues had been counted, couldnot be justified. “The issue is what it costs to runthe event. It’s very, very expensive and we can’tsee the economic payback,” he said. 22Larry Romany, President of the Trinidad and TobagoOlympic Committee (T&T OC) is also quoted tohave said “the T&T OC and the Government ofT&T conducted a full review, open, constructive,and candid discussions in respect of all the currentand projected circumstances and concluded thatprogressing a 2018 bid at this time is not a prudentor responsible course of action.” 23Signalling Progress through SportDelhi hosted the Asian Games in 1951 and 1982.The Afro-Asian Games were held in 2003 inHyderabad, as were the World Military Gamesin 2007. The Commonwealth Youth Games wereheld in 2008 in Pune, and now there is the muchawaited Commonwealth Games scheduled in Delhifor 2010. India had bid for the 1990 and 1994Commonwealth Games but did not make it, andwithdrew its bid for the 1998 Games in favourof Kuala Lumpur. 24 India is also playing host tothe Hockey World Cup, the Shooting World Cup,and a four-nation hockey tournament before theCommonwealth Games are flagged off.Delhi also bid for the 2014 Asian games but lost thebid to Incheon, South Korea. The Indian OlympicAssociation (IOA) was also interested in biddingto bring Formula One to the country. That wesignalled the intent to bid for the 2020 Olympicssoon after it won the bid for staging the 2010Commonwealth Games indicates India fallingvictim to the growing “mega-events addiction” asDavid Black puts it in his essay titled “The SymbolicPolitics of Sport Mega-Events: 2010 in ComparativePerspective”.Black explores and compares the “symbolicpolitics” of event host South Africa for the FIFA(Federation de International Football Association)World Cup, Delhi/India for the CommonwealthGames, and Vancouver Canada, for the WinterOlympics, all taking place in 2010. According tohim, while “marketing” and “place-promotion”are strong incentives for a host country suchas India to put out a bid, it extends further to“the dynamics of symbolism and legitimation”.The city has to reconstruct its image given the“cosmopolitan self-image of international sportsorganisations” 25 . In his analysis of Delhi’s pitch inprojecting itself, there is a strong strain of wantingto shed the “developing country” conception forthe “developed country” with its emphasis on the“world class city”.While Black focuses on the image constructionaspect, it is important to take note of the broaderpolitical agenda in India hosting the Games. TheAsian Games of 1951 was hosted with the politicalintent of building solidarity in the Group of 77, inan anti-imperialist grouping of the United Nations.The 1982 Asian games came at the juncture whereIndia was interested in liberalising, projectingitself as a leader within and outside the country,and signalling the end of Nehruvian socialism.The political agenda of the CWG 2010 must beunderstood in the context of India positioning asa key player in the grouping of BRIC countries, 26its distancing itself from the G77 27 so as to beseen as close to the G20 28 (and the United Statesin particular), and the aspiration for a permanentseat in the UN Security Council, among othertrends. India represents much more than anemerging economy. It is one of the largest marketswith its growing consumerist middle class, hasmaintained a steady growth in Gross DomesticProduct (GDP), and a reckless pursuit of neoliberalpolicies without heed to the mounting evidence of12

deep rural and agrarian distress,endemic poverty, increasedcivilian armed struggles, andhuman rights violations wherethe state aggresses against itspeople. Its political agenda inhosting the CWG is clearly ofshedding its developing countryimage and announcing its arrivalas a global super power – to bereckoned with – economicallyand therefore politically. Thelogo 29 of the CommonwealthGames 2010 inspired by thechakra spells out this politicalagenda in as many words.Developing a Culture ofSports in India –the Silenced DebateA separate Department forSports came into being whenIndia hosted the Asian Gamesin 1982 thus signalling thestrong link between India’ssports policies and megasporting events. 30 Recognisingthe need for a paradigm shiftin how sports percolates tothe grassroots in the country,former Minister for YouthAffairs and Sports (MYAS), ManiShankar Aiyar 31 had made a45 minute presentation to theCabinet during his tenure asSports Minister. As a result ofthis, in April 2007 his Ministry was asked to drafta new comprehensive sports policy. The “DraftComprehensive National Sports Policy, 2007”, wasnot presented in Cabinet, as the week it was to bepresented, Mr. Aiyar was removed from his post,and the policy was never taken up by the Cabinetsubsequently. 32 In a telephonic conversation 33 , S.P.STomar, Under Secretary, MYAS confirmed that theDraft Policy was “withdrawn” and that the existingpolicy (of 2001) is “sufficient” (quotation marksours).An examination of the Draft Policy 34 indicates thatit is rather progressive. Among its many insightfulobservations are that “the economic, social andcultural benefits of hosting mega sporting eventshave to be weighed against the huge opportunitycosts involved and needs to be clearly evaluatedin the specific context of each country. While thehosting of such mega events undoubtedly gives aboost to the image of the country in the sportingworld and makes the promotion of sportingexcellence an important agenda, these can bereduced to very short-term benefits unless theyare part of a well-formulated and comprehensivelong term vision which aims at Sports for Alland includes among the highest of our nationalpriorities the development of a National SportsCulture.”The Draft Policy goes on to say that “the directeconomic benefit in terms of the creation of13

international standard sports infrastructure andfacilities too would have limited impact unless thisis backed by proper legacy planning. The indirectspin offs, which include the upgradation of urbaninfrastructure and increase in sports tourism,are also important, but there should be a robuststrategy that would ensure that these benefitshave a maximum spread effect and are notconfined only to a few cities and limited segmentsof the population.”The fallout of the Asian Games of 1982 which sawinfrastructure building in Delhi, and an expansionof Sports Authority of India (SAI) activities is alsoacknowledged, but is criticised for not having hadany impact on sports facilities at the grassrootslevel. The Draft Policy quotes the National SportsPolicy, 1984 lamenting that it’s most importantclause “the creation of basic minimum sportsinfrastructure and the preservation of existingplayfields and safe open spaces for sport activities,if necessary by suitable legislation” has not beenachieved.The caution with which the Draft ComprehensiveSports Policy treats mega sports events, includingits associated benefits, is, in many ways, an officialacknowledgement of the doubts there are aboutthe “economic, social and cultural benefits” ofstaging the Commonwealth Games and the needto re-think the purpose of developing sportsinfrastructure – for whom, for what, where andwhy. The draft policy had attracted criticism frommajor sports bodies as it was seen to potentiallyjeopardise the upcoming Commonwealth Gamesand India’s chances at hosting other mega-sportingevents in the future. 35 Sports Associations were alsodispleased with the recommendation for a SportsRegulatory Authority to be introduced, and forsports to be put on the Concurrent List. (The IOAhas so far been autonomous, drawing funds fromthe Sports Ministry, without being held responsibleand accountable to it). 36The need for a wider public debate wassidestepped when the issue was reduced to a spatbetween IOA President and Member of Parliament(MP), Suresh Kalmadi and Mr Aiyar, which leadto heated exchanges with regard to India loosingthe bid to host the 2014 Asian Games. On hearingthat Mr. Kalmadi was going to think twice beforebidding for the 2016 Olympics, Mr Aiyar said “I amdamn delighted if I have succeeded in divertingattention to the real issues”. “Whether you holdthe Commonwealth Games in Delhi or Melbourne,it makes no difference to the state of thoseliving in the colonies opposite the stadium. Thegovernment does not have enough money for socialdevelopment programmes but has sanctioned Rs7,000 crore for hosting the Commonwealth Gamesjust to improve India’s image internationally,” he37 38said.The current Minister for Youth Affairs andSport, Manohar Singh Gill, has expressedsimilar sentiments in Parliament, expressing hisdisapproval at the idea that India should bid forthe Olympics. “Look at the poverty in this country,look at its size, look at your urban problem.There is a certain class among us who want thesegreat events because it’s good entertainmentand good fun for that time. But, I do not thinkthat the common man wants an Olympic Games.China spent $50 billion (Rs.2,25,000 crores) forthe Beijing Olympics. Are you ready to spend thatmuch?” he is quoted saying. 39Representing the other side of the debate, MrKalmadi remarked in an interview that “If 2014Asiad had come, Delhi would have been a globalcity. Do you know how much it would have helpedtourism and how much money could have beengenerated by this sector? By staging the twoGames, India would have become an absolutetourist destination.” 40 A similar position wastaken by him recently in connection with theCommonwealth Games. 41As the links between mega-sports events,development and tourism are being drawn, andthe CWG 2010 draws closer, a limited but essentialpublic debate on the cost at which India shouldstage such events is underway, and provides muchneeded perspective to the benefits of sport-relateddevelopment and tourism.The Absence of SportPrecious little attention is being paid toour sportspersons and their training andpreparations toward the Games. A commonlyexpressed view is that India would have donebetter to concentrate on its sportsmen, and returnwith a good medal tally thus bringing pride tothe nation, rather than staging the CWG. Thissentiment also springs from the fact that only twoyears ago when China hosted the Beijing Olympics(2008), China won 100 medals, while India wononly 3.14

Ironically, the Commonwealth Games are noteven considered top priority by sportspersons inIndia. “Olympics are our first priority, Asian Gamesare second, and then it is the CWG,” a swimmerparticipating in the games this year is quoted tohave said. 42What is really disturbing is the fact that the 34 thNational Games, originally scheduled to have beenheld in Jharkhand in 2007, has been postponedfive times in two years. 43 The 35 th National Gamesplanned to be held between 1-14 May 2010 inKerala, was postponed from a 2008 date. 44 In thecourse of our research we found a news itemon 7 th May 2010 declaring that both the Keralagovernment and the IOA have no clue a week afterits supposed start as to when it may happen 45 . Themainstream media seems to have lost interest insuch sporting events with all eyes turned towardsMr Kalmadi and the Commonwealth Games. TheNational Games are the space and opportunity foryoung sportspersons to prove their talent at thenational level as well as train state administratorsto conduct meets on a large scale. It is inexcusablethat we have failed to organise the NationalGames for several years now but are flaunting ourcommitment to building a sports culture by hostingthe Commonwealth Games. While the 34 th , 35 th and36 th Games have not happened or are under a cloudregarding their dates, the IOA has already awardedthe 37 th Games to Chhattisgarh. 46While it has nothing to do with the CWG, therecent episode of women hockey players notreceiving their due, 47 when hockey is officiallyIndia’s national sport cries shame. IndigenousIndian sport is also a highly neglected area, andstaging of the CWG does nothing to promotekabbadi, gilli-danda and kho-kho, for instance,which are among the more well known local sports,but equally the boat races in Kerala, Inbuan, theindigenous sport of Mizoram that resembles combatwrestling, archery indigenous to Meghalaya, theYubee-Lakpee of Manipur which is a little likerugby, Kirip, indigenous wrestling in Nicobar, orSagol Kangjei, Manipur’s version of polo. 48 Howevera separate stadium for lawn bowls is being built asa lasting legacy for Delhi.The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports whichinitiated the Panchayat Yuva Krida aur KhelAbhiyan (PYKKA) scheme in 2008-09 plans tocover 2,50,000 panchayats and blocks all over thecountry over a period of 10 years with assistancefor creation of basic sports infrastructure,nurturing indigenous games and nurturing of sportstalent pool. Youth (below 35 years) are 70% of thepopulation of this demographically young countryand the cohort of 10-19 years constitute around250 million youth. One would imagine that theMYAS would see these young people as its keyconstituency.The Ministry’s Annual report for the year 2009-10 and its budgetary allocations therein 49 are anindication of the extent to which the CWG hastaken over all other considerations of buildingand encouraging a sports culture in the country.Extracts from Annexure 2 of the Report (FinancialOutlay, in Indian Rupees) below indicate that theMYAS may as well have been renamed the Ministryfor CWG 2010. A disbursement of a mere Rs 70crores towards the PYKKA for basic sports facilitiesfor millions of young people across the countryas against a concentrated 3000 crores in just oneyear (2009-10) for the CWG is an inexcusable andappalling demonstration of the Ministry’s priorities.Budget Estimate2009-10 (in Rs. crore)Revised Budget2009-10 (in Rs. crore)Budget Estimate2010-11 (in Rs. crore)Plan Non Plan Plan Non Plan Plan Non PlanCWG 2010 2000 264 2268 615 1454 614.5PYKKA* 145 0 125 0 379 0Total - Sports andPhysical Education2403 316 2671 679.67 2453 664.69*Only Rs 70 crore was actually released15

There is no proposal for the demonstrations ofindigenous sport or proposals for indigenous sport,or sport education in schools, colleges, villages, orfor the PYKKA to benefit from the staging of theCWG by being allotted a percentage of revenuefor sport-related development. Elite by definition,it is not surprising that the Organising Committee(OC) of the CWG designs mega events that do notimprove the chances for millions of young peopleof India to engage and excel in sport.In speaking about the impact and legacy of theGames India’s bid document says 50 “Sports andGames propagated at the highest levels have amiraculous capacity to percolate even to thegrassroots and also achieve the widest coverage”.Going by the manner in which the MYAS and theIOA are determining priorities, it will certainlytake a miracle to achieve the building of a sportsculture in India.End Notes1. Ghosh, A., “Govt plans to hide unfinished Games work behind curtains”, Times of India; 2nd June 2010, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/City/Delhi/Govt-plans-to-hide-unfinished-Games-work-behind-curtains/articleshow/6000895.cms, data retrieved June 20102. “BJP leaders say Delhi not prepared to host Games” Hindustan Times; 15th July 2010, http://www.hindustantimes.com/rssfeed/newdelhi/BJP-leaders-say-Delhi-not-prepared-to-host-Games/Article1-572470.aspx data retrieved July 20103. Centre on Housing Rights & Evictions (COHRE) is an international human rights organisation campaigning for the protection of housingrights and the prevention of forced evictions.4. Fair Play for Housing Rights: Mega-Events, Olympic Games and Housing Rights, 2007, The Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions (COHRE),Geneva, Switzerland, available at www.cohre.org/mega-events.5. India’s Bid CWG 2010, http://www.thecgf.com/games/intro.asp?yr=20106. Wildsmith, J. and Bradfield, M. (2007) “Halifax Commonwealth Games Bid: Were the Costs and Benefits Assessed?” Canadian Centrefor Policy Alternatives, http://nl1523.policyalternatives.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/publications/Nova_Scotia_Pubs/2007/Halifax_Commonwealth_Games_Bid.pdf, data retrieved January 20107. Pillay, U.; Tomlinson, R.; and Bass, O. (Eds.) (2009) Development and Dreams: The urban legacy of the 2010 Football World Cup; HSRCPress8. Conversion used 1 Spanish Pesetas = INR 0.359. Wildsmith, J. and Bradfield, M. (2007)10. Austen, I. “Vancouver Estimates Cost”, The New York Times; 20th April 2010, http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/21/sports/21sportsbriefs-games.html, data retrieved June 201011. Conversion used GBP 1 = Rs.7012. Brooke, M., “Olympic costs shoot up £5m in 3 months”, East London Advertiser; 27th May 2010, http://www.eastlondonadvertiser.co.uk/content/towerhamlets/advertiser/news/story.aspx?brand=elaonline&category=news&tBrand=northlondon24&tCategory=newsela&itemid=WeED27%20May%202010%2014%3A05%3A46%3A853, data retrieved July 2010 and http://www.culture.gov.uk/publications/7091.aspx13. ETOA (2006) “Olympic Report”, European Tour Operators Association, http://www.etoa.org/, data retrieved January 2010 and ETOA(2008) “Olympics and Tourism: Update on Olympic Report 2006”, European Tour Operators Association, http://www.etoa.org/, dataretrieved January 201014. See Annexure 1: Tourism- Hit or Miss? For extracts from ETOA reports.15. Matheson, Victor A., “Upon Further Review: An Examination of Sporting Event Economic Impact Studies” 2001, http://www.gamesmonitor.org.uk/node/333, data retrieved January 201016. Wildsmith, J. and Bradfield, M. (2007)17. Wildsmith, J. and Bradfield, M. (2007)18. Around the World; Turnout for Games Lags, New Delhi Paper Says. The New York Times; 26th November 1982, http://www.nytimes.com/1982/11/26/world/around-the-world-turnout-for-games-lags-new-delhi-paper-says.html, data retrieved July 2010.19. Majumdar B., “Zero Sum Game?” TOI Crest; 12th June 2010,http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Sports/Events-Tournaments/Commonwealth-Games/Zero-Sum-Game/articleshow/6040140.cms, data retrieved in July 2010.20 . Xinhua, “Halifax gives up bid for 2014 Commonwealth Games”, People Daily; 9th March 2007, http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200703/09/eng20070309_355986.html, data retrieved January 201021. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halifax_bid_for_the_2014_Commonwealth_Games, data retrieved January 2010.22. The Associated Press (2010) “Government drops Auckland Commonwealth Games bid,” Business Week, 16th March 2010, http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9EFRE2O0.htm, data retrieved June 2010.23. Trinidad Tobago withdraws CWG 2018 bid” 29 March 2010, http://commonwealthdelhi2010.blogspot.com/2010/03/trinidad-tobagowithdraws-cwg-2018-bid.html,data retrieved June 2010.24. Ali, Q.M., “Elation as India wins Commonwealth Games Bid”, Asian Tribune; 14th November 2003, http://www.asiantribune.com/news/2003/11/14/elation-india-wins-commonwealth-games-bid, data retrieved June 201025. Black further quotes Dave Whitson who sees the desire to host such large-scale events as the country giving itself an opportunity to“reshape dominant attitudes and cultures within host communities - to transcend provincialism and historic insecurities and to embraceglobality, competitiveness, and excellence”. Of India in particular, he says that “notwithstanding its aggregate low-income status, thereis the aspiration for recognition of its rightful place as a world power, reflective of its population, its rapidly growing economic andmilitary capabilities, and its history as an ancient and sophisticated civilisation that has had to overcome the indignity of hundreds ofyears of external domination and colonisation.”26. BRIC is a grouping acronym that refers to the related economies of Brazil, Russia, India and China16

27. The Group of 77 (G-77) was established on 15 June 1964 by seventy-seven developing countries signatories of the “Joint Declarationof the Seventy-Seven Countries” issued at the end of the first session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development(UNCTAD) in Geneva. The Group of 77 is the largest intergovernmental organization of developing states in the United Nations, whichprovides the means for the countries of the South to articulate and promote their collective economic interests and enhance their jointnegotiating capacity on all major international economic issues within the United Nations system, and promote South-South cooperationfor development. (Source: http://www.g77.org/doc/)28. The Group of Twenty (G-20) Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors was established in 1999 to bring together systemicallyimportant industrialized and developing economies to discuss key issues in the global economy. (Source: http://www.g20.org/about_what_is_g20.aspx)29. The logo of the XIX Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi is inspired by the Chakra, the national symbol of freedom, unity and power.Spiralling upwards, it depicts the growth of India into a proud, vibrant nation. Her billion people coming together to fulfil their truedestinies. India’s journey from tradition to modernity, her economic transformation into a super power… reaching out to the world andleading the way, even as she enthusiastically embraces all the 71 CGA nations and territories of the Commonwealth to become one andhost the best ever Commonwealth Games in Delhi. Source: The Games Look, http://www. cwgdelhi2010.org/30. See http://yas.nic.in/index.asp?layid=2, data retrieved June 201031. Mani Shankar Aiyar, Former Minister for Youth Affairs and Sport, in an interview with EQUATIONS on 10th March 201032. Mani Shankar Aiyar, interview33. S.P.S Tomar, Under Secretary, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, telephonic conversation with EQUATIONS on 2nd March, 201034. Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Draft Comprehensive Sports Policy 2007, http://yas.nic.in/writereaddata/mainlinkfile/File371.pdf,data retrieved January 201035. “Kalmadi’s plea to Prime Minister”, The Hindu; 3rd August 2007, http://www.thehindu.com/2007/08/03/stories/2007080355922100.htmdata retrieved January 201036. Kalra, Y.S, “From playgrounds to medals”, Live Mint; 24th September 2007 http://www.livemint.com/2007/09/24010235/Fromplaygrounds-to-medals.html,data retrieved January 201037. “Commonwealth Games irrelevant to common man: Mani Shankar”, Live Mint; 12th April 2007, http://www.livemint.com/2007/04/12131220/Commonwealth-Games-irrelevant.html, data retrieved June 2010.38. Sahgal, P., “Face Off” India Today; 7th May 2007, http://www.india-today.com/itoday/20070507/nation1.html, data retrieved January201039. Mackay D, “India should not bid for Olympics says Sports Minister” 25th November 2009, http://insidethegames.biz/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8145:india-should-not-bid-for-olympics-says-sports-minister&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=1data retrieved June 201040. Brahma, B., “Aiyar openly backed Incheon’s bid” Times of India; 22nd April 2007, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Aiyar-openlybacked-Incheons-bid/articleshow/1940391.cms,data retrieved January 201041. Kalmadi, S., “Benefits of the Games will be felt for longer than 15 days”, Hindustan Times; 29th May 2010, http://www.hindustantimes.com/rssfeed/sportcolumns/Benefits-of-Games-will-be-felt-for-longer-than-15-days/Article1-550028.aspx, data retrieved June 201042. Bisht, A., “Once again Zero Sum Game”, Hardnews; 19th March 2010, http://www.hardnewsmedia.com/2010/03/3497, data retrievedApril 2010.43. “IOA postpones 34th National Games again”, India Today; 15th October 2009, http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/Story/66454/India/IOA+postpones+34th+National+Games+again.html, data retrieved March 201044. “35th National Games in May next year”, The Hindu; 11th February 2009, http://www.thehindu.com/2009/02/11/stories/2009021155861800.htm, data retrieved March 201045. Nath S, “National Games Dates Uncertain: Neither Kerala nor the IOA officials are sure when the 35th National Games will take place”,Yentha 7th May 2010, http://www.yentha.com/news/view/1/385. Data retrieved July 2010.46. “Chhattisgarh to host 37th National Games in 2013”, Sports News; 30th March 2010, http://blog.taragana.com/sports/2010/03/30/chhattisgarh-to-host-37th-national-games-in-2013-89383/, Data retrieved March 201047. “Dues Issue: Women Hockey players wear black bands” Indian Express; 21st January 2010, http://www.indianexpress.com/news/duesissue-women-hockey-players-wear-black/570105/data retrieved January 201048. See http://www.indianetzone.com/1/other_traditional_games.htm, data retrieved March 201049. MYAS http://yas.nic.in/index.html50. India’s Bid CWG 2010, pg 2217

Section IIINVESTING OUR COMMON WEALTH19

This section examines the bid India produced, the infrastructure and other sport relateddevelopments that have been committed as part of the deal to play host, a budget thatgrows exponentially and the implications this has on the investment of public funds.The Story of India’s BidIndia bid for the Commonwealth Games in 1990and 1994 and failed both times. Thus winning thebid for 2010 was a matter of prestige. One wouldhave expected that extensive consultations beundertaken, and the decision to bid for an eventthe scale of the CWG, be a considered one. Thereality is however, far removed from this basicexpectation.At the very least, as per the Government of India(Transaction of Business) Rules, 1961 1 , a proposalfor the staging of the CWG should have beenmade and put before the Cabinet for deliberationsbefore any decision was taken. However, Rule 12on the “Departure from Rules” which states that“The Prime Minister may, in any case or classes ofcases permit or condone a departure from theserules, to the extent he deems necessary”, wasinvoked, as the result of which a process that wasinitiated by the NDA Government was continued bythe UPA Government, fait accompli. In response toan RTI 2 seeking information as to whether this wasdiscussed in a cabinet meeting, we were informedthat no such meeting was called for or attended toby the PMO to discuss the bid for the CWG 2010.Mani Shankar Aiyar’s view on the process was “Thebid was initiated by Mr. Kalmadi, CommonwealthSecretary and head of the IOA, who persuadedPrime Minister Vajpayee to allow him to bid forthe Games. There was not enough time to call aCabinet Meeting and so the proposal was clearedunder what is called “Rule 12” which allows thePrime Minister to approve, subject to ex-post-factocabinet approval. This proves how little debatethere was, not only among general public, butwithin the Government as well”. 3The bid document requires statement ofcommitment or backing from the governmentand public. In response to an RTI application 4about evidence for public support the OrganisingCommittee of the Commonwealth Games 2010 (OC)claims 10000 signatures were obtained in supportof India’s bid from youth, eminent people andpoliticians. For the world’s largest democracy thisis a rather feeble attempt at public debate andconsensus.The Report of the Commonwealth GamesEvaluation Commission for the 2010 CommonwealthGames (GEC) 5 considered Delhi, India andHamilton, Canada as the two possible hosts ofthe Commonwealth Games 2010, based on thebids submitted. It concluded that both Hamiltonand Delhi were capable of staging a successfulCommonwealth Games in 2010. Delhi won thebid and was ultimately picked during the GeneralAssembly of the Commonwealth Games Federation(CGF) held in Montego Bay, Jamaica 2003. 6However, what reportedly clinched the bid wasIndia’s last-minute offer of $100,000 (Rs. 0.45crores) to each of the 72 associations of themember states to train athletes, which workedout to $7.2 million (Rs. 32.4 crores), as against theHamilton’s offer of $3.2 million (Rs. 14.4 crores), 7on offer only to needy countries. 8According to Mr Aiyar, “The initial decision in2003, included a midnight telephonic call to PrimeMinister Vajpayee (of the BJP led NDA government)from the (then) Minister of Sports Vikram Vermarepresenting the Indian delegation at MontegoBay, seeking approval that the Indian delegationbe permitted to offer one hundred thousanddollars towards the training of sportsmen to everyCommonwealth country including the UK, Canada,Australia and New Zealand.” 9Aspects of India’s bid 10 , as highlighted by the 187page advertisement brochure like Bid Documentwere:• Delhi’s past experiences with internationalsporting events with the 1951 and 1982 Asiangames as well as major international tradefairs, summits and exhibitions• Air travel grant for accredited athletesand accompanying officials as well as freeaccommodation• Free trip to the Taj Mahal for all athletes andaccompanying officials• A special lane reserved for participants on allmajor roads of Delhi• Health Facilities• Commitment from the Government20

The Report of the CWG Evaluation Commission 11noted the following:• Delhi’s bid focuses on the potential to motivatethe youth of India to become involved in sport• Games Accreditation will substitute as a visafor entry into India• Delhi has provided a travel grant of US $ 10.5million (Rs. 47.3 crores) based on 5200 athletesand 1800 officials at US $ 1500 (Rs. 67, 500)each which exceeds requirements of ProtocolNine (travel expenses).• Accommodation and board will be providedfree of charge for 25 days for athletes and18 days for technical officials. Capacity of8500 is possible, enabling all athletes to behoused in a single facility. Extra officials willbe accommodated in the village on a costrecoverybasis.• The Delhi-Commonwealth Village, a low-tomediumrise development is to be constructedon a 40 acre site in the heart of Delhi.Proposed village site of 40 hectares of landadjoins NH24 and will be connected withMRTS and EMU trains. Air-conditioning willnot be required in November (early Novemberwere the dates proposed originally), howeverin select areas like the dining hall it will beprovided. Dining facility proposed to be locatedin the international zone was recommended tobe moved to the residential zone.• Post games the village will become Universityaccommodation. The Games Village (GV)will provide excellent hostel facility forDelhi University and will remain availablefor residential use during hosting of futureinternational events.• Two new sports venues will be constructed bythe Delhi Development Authority (DDA) andGovernment of India (GoI).• A significant infrastructure improvementis planned (including 74 flyovers and thedevelopment of metro lines) and the provisionfor dedicated lanes and escorts.• A plentiful supply of good hotel rooms exist.Delhi boasts of 9000 first class hotels whichwill meet the accommodation needs of theCommonwealth Games Family.• The US$ 442 million (Rs.1989 crores) Delhiexpenditure budget lacks detail in many of thekey areas, however the overriding undertakingis that the Governments of India and Delhi willmeet the costs of the Games to be conductedin accordance with the requirements of theCGF, and will underwrite any operating orcapital budget shortfall.• Government contributions are USD$ 227 million(Rs. 1021.5 crores) and USD$ 8 million (Rs. 36crores) from the Government of India and theDelhi Government. These overall budgets areexpected to increase, but the amount has notbeen quantified.• Total revenue of US$ 442 million (Rs.1989crores) comprises US$ 235 million (Rs. 1057.5crores) in public sector funding and Gamesrevenues of US$ 186 million, which theEvaluation Commission considers is potentiallyoverstated.• The Government of Delhi and the relevantGovernment agencies have advised that thedevelopment of venues and the Games Villagewill include environmental considerationsrelated to micro-environment, ecology andother parameters such as air, water and noisepollution. Delhi has confirmed that its intentionis to develop the games in an “environmentallyfriendly” manner.What Delhi, through the hosting of CWG stated itwishes to achieve are:• Achieve major additions to sportsinfrastructure• Stimulate economic growth and development• Improve city infrastructure• Boost tourism in IndiaIndia‘s last-minute offer of $7.2 million (Rs. 32.4crores), 12 to each member state to train theirathletes does not reflect in the bid or evaluationdocument as it was made during the GeneralAssembly.An important question asked in the Parliamentas early as 2003 13 seeks to know whether Indiahas also undertaken to bear the athlete trainingexpenses for member countries like Australia tothe extent of USD7.2 million and if any decisionhas been taken to mobilise funds for this purpose?The response of the (then) Minister of State is thatthe “IOA made an announcement in Jamaica forpayment of USD100000 to each member country ofthe CGF after the Commonwealth Games 2006. IOAhas informed that the funds for the purpose will bemobilised by the Organising Committee of the CWGthrough proposed sponsorships earnings of USD100million”.21

This is certainly one of the many promises ofthe IOA and the OC that have been convenientlyabandoned in acts of collective amnesia. Thereare discrepancies between what is stated in India’sbid submission and the report of the GEC. Someof these are critical to take note of, as they seemto have been emphasised when the Commissionvisited Delhi for its assessment, and are likely tohave been critical factors in India winning the bidfor 2010. 14 What is also interesting to note is whichof these have been lost in transit.• India’s bid claimed that by way ofinfrastructure 50 flyovers would be completedby 2008. The Evaluation of Bid claimed 74flyovers would be built (subsequently thenumber dropped to 25).• The Bid spoke of battery operated buses roundthe clock for athletes from the Games villageto competition sites. The current arrangementsdo not speak of these any more.• The Bid document spoke of the Games Villageland being 100 acres (or 40 hectares). Theactual land acquired is 150 acres or 63.5hectares. The map in the Bid document alsoindicated the Games Village to be on the westbank of the Yamuna, while the final site is nowon the east bank.• Perhaps what is most significant is the promisethat the Games Village would be handed overto Delhi University as hostel facilities for itsstudents. This is certainly one promise that hasbeen forgotten as soon as Delhi won the Bid. 15What is not available for public scrutiny is the HostCity Contract that Delhi signed, which is the legallybinding contractual agreement. RTI applicationsand an appeal to the OC have not yet providedconclusive position as to whether the OC will claimthis is a confidential document. The MYAS and IOAhave not responded either to the request throughRTI of a copy of the Host City Contract. 16From Rs. 296 crore to Rs. 12,888 crore toRs. 30,000 crore and still counting.With the logic of the “legacy of the games” beinga “world-class city”, the cost of the Games aredownplayed, arguing that better roads, betterinfrastructure, world-class facilities will go beyondthe Games. Literature on the subject indicatesthat the concept of the “legacy of the games”is used to justify the mammoth investments andexpenditure required to host a mega event. If thevision is indeed beyond the Games, it is importantto scrutinise the investments from economic,cultural, social and environmental lens andinterrogate them from the perspective of whoseneeds they serve.The BudgetKeeping track of the shifting scenario of thebudgets and estimates of the CWG 2010requires tenacity and a sharp eye!In May 2003 when the IOA submitted India’s bidto the CGF its projected expenditure was 266.65million USD (1200 crore rupees). This includedcapital expenditure of 210.2 million USD, majorrepairs and maintenance of 23.23 million USD andother incidental expenditure of 33.30 million USD.The corresponding means of finance were grants tothe tune of 115.07 million USD (518 crore rupees),sale of residential flats 106.00 million USD (477crore rupees), and surplus from operating theGames at 45.58 million USD (205 crore rupees).The surplus was the difference between therevenues from Games of 186.59 million USD (840crore rupees) and Games operating expenses of141.01 million USD (634.5 crore rupees). Thusoperating expenses plus capital expenditure wouldamount to 407.7 million USD (1835crore rupees).On 7 th October 2003 the Commonwealth GamesEvaluation Commission for the 2010 Games broughtout its report. The finance section relating toIndia’s bid indicated negotiations with the IOA thatthe sale of residential flats is removed from theCWG budget (as an item of revenue generation)and the responsibility/risk is transferred tothe DDA. As a result of this “adjustment” thegovernment grants portion of the budget financingbecame 235.07 million USD (1058 crore rupees)and the Games revenue part remained at 186.59million USD (840 crore rupees). India won the bidin November 2003.The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG)released a report in July 2009 titled “A Report onPreparedness for the XIX Commonwealth Games2010” 17 which is a sobering account of the lack ofpreparedness just 14 months before the Gameswere scheduled to start. However, it is a horrifyingaccount of the expenditure until that point and thenature of “legacy of the games”. A careful readingof the CAG report will indicate that in a span of 922

months the IOA made three estimates and upwardrevisions by a factor of 4 in its estimates (May2003 - Rs 296 crores, September 2003 – Rs 400crores, December 2003 - Rs 1200 crores, final biddocument - 1853 crores!). This certainly does notinspire confidence in the IOA’s ability to plan orproject expenditures 18 - a story that unravels moremessily in the years that follow.The table below puts together the projectedand actual figures of budgetary expenses forthe Commonwealth Games from various officialsources.Updated bid document projectionDecember 20031835 crore rupeesEstimated operating expenditure Rs. 635 crore.Total expenditure (other than Games operatingexpenses) estimated at Rs. 1200 crore,Government grants were estimated at Rs. 518crore.First Budget approved by CabinetApril 2007 19Rs.3566 crore ± Rs. 300 crore.(US$ 792 million ± US$ 67 million)Rs. 1835 crore (US$ 400 million)(Bid evaluation report USD 421.66 million)MYAS estimated expenditureas of May 20099599 crores(US$ 2133 million)CAG calculated expenditureup to May 2009Rs. 12,888 crore(excludes expenditure incurred by DMRC, AAI, ITDC)(US$ 2864 million)MYAS estimated expenditureas of February 2010Rs. 10445 crores(US$ 2298 million)Ministry of Tourism, Government of India study 2009 estimated expenditure for the CWGRs. 87500 crores(US$ 19,444 million)A Ministry of Tourism (MoT) commissioned study(2009) makes the most spectacular assessmentor revelation of them all. 20 We quote from page17 of the published study “The total budgetestimated for hosting the 19 th Commonwealth isUS$17.5 billion (approximately Rs. 87.5 thousandcrore). This makes the 2010 CWG, the mostexpensive Commonwealth Games ever (comparedto Manchester 2002 - approx. US$ 14.63 million,and Melbourne 2006 - approx. US$ 1 billion)”.The source of this data is not indicated – but weshould assume or hope that the Ministry of Tourismis confident about the source and reliability ofits data. Interestingly it seems to be the onlygovernment Ministry that indicates a budgetestimation of this order.Civil society organisations in a watchdog role havealso been making their own assessments of theexpenditure attributable to the CWG 2010. A reportby Housing and Land Rights Network (HLRN), 21provides an excellent analysis of the increase inbudgetary costs, the allocations and financingof the Games and its likely financial legacy. Itis evident that the budgets were made withoutserious analysis, and in feeding this seemingly23

insatiable beast, funds from criticalsocial sector spending – health,schooling, housing and even fundsfrom the Special Component Planmeant exclusively for welfareof scheduled castes have beendiverted. Dunu Roy, Director ofHazards Centre, estimates thatthe total expenditure taking allinfrastructure projects into accountis likely closer to Rs. 80,000 crore. 22Budget - 500 crores?my daily wage = Rs. 100& they stillcan’t pay me?In its 2003 bid document, theIOA estimated a surplus of 45.58million USD (205 crore rupees).(This holds, of course, only for theoperating expenditure; it doesn’tfactor in the hefty expenses oninfrastructure or security, whichgo into the government’s books. ByAugust 2009 (but even earlier in theCAG report of July 2009 which wasless publicised), came the newsthat the Games would be “revenueneutral”—thatits operatingexpenditure would exactly equalits revenue. Now both operatingexpense and revenue estimateshave ballooned, to Rs. 1,620 croreand Rs. 1,708 crore, respectively.By focussing only on the operatingcosts of running the games acase of a subtle “manufacturingconsent” is created as it leadsto the misconception among citizens that thisis indeed the size of the CWG budgets andexpenditure. In fact in response to a ParliamentQuestion as recent as March 2010 “People payingfor CWG” 23 asking ifa) is it a fact that people are made to pay for theCWGb) should the Government not have thought of thepoor people before agreeing to host the CWG,andc) what was the expenditure incurred so far onthe infrastructure for the Games; the MYASresponded as follows:“For conduct of the Games funds are beingprovided as loan, which are to be recouped fromrevenues generated by the Games. The sports andother infrastructure which are being funded bythe Government will have lasting legacy value.The Government took a considered decision forholding the Commonwealth Games. An amountof Rs. 2260.35 crore has been incurred on sportsinfrastructure by the concerned agencies.” Theanswer is not just misleading but can also betermed as incorrect.There have been a large number of questionsraised in both houses of Parliament on an ongoingbasis about the budgets, their escalation andwhere the funds allocation is intended from.In response to a Parliament Question 24 on theGovernment’s initial estimate, the increasedamount at present, and whether the CAG isconducting an audit, the MYAS’s response inFebruary 2010 is “On the basis of the projection bythe IOA a figure of 665 crore had been estimated24

in September 2003 for staging the Games inIndia. The current estimated budget for holdingthe Games including construction of venues,preparation of teams, conduct of Games andother expenditure is 10445 crores”. The Ministerof State confirmed a CAG audit. Unfortunatelythe responses of the MYAS have been merely toprovide “information” of current status and theredoes not seem to have been a significant debateon the appropriateness of these escalations or thewisdom of the Government to have underwrittenall escalations.Recovering Costs & Returns on InvestmentIn May 2003 the position of the OC was that itwould require no more than a “loan” of USD 115million (517 crore) of public money — all of whichwould be reimbursed to the exchequer from ticketsale proceeds, sponsorships and advertisements.This loan is now 1620 crores which is returnable by31 May 2011. The OC has made repeated requestsfor concessions and waivers of various sorts, whichhas prompted an official in the Finance Ministryto exclaim “The OC is behaving like a spoilt child,coming up with some new demand every other day.The fact is it can’t foresee its requirements. Itshows a lack of planning”. 25Among the concessions being demanded are, the10% luxury taxes on hotel rooms for participants,officials and media rights holders being waived (Rs30 crore) 26 , waiving off 12.5 per cent value addedtax (VAT) on all purchases made for the CWG, andthe waiving off nearly Rs 50 crore to be chargedas entertainment tax on match tickets during theactual competition and test events. 574 DelhiTransport Corporation buses are being suppliedfor free of cost during the Games in October, andthe OC has requested the same free buses forparticipants and organisers during test events thathave already begun. 27The citizens of Delhi however have been subjectedto a “growth-oriented budget for the games”,as Delhi’s finance minister Ashok Kumar Walia,presenting the Delhi State budget in March 2010,put it. 28 In Chief Minister Sheila Dixit’s words,“There has been a lot of developmental workin the city and there is a lot more to happen.A lot more money is needed for that and thegovernment has no option but to slightly burdenthe people to incur the losses.” 29The Ministry of Tourism commissioned studyrather soberly reflects on the need for cautionin investing in sports infrastructure. 30 “Althoughthere are a lot of benefits of hosting such aninternational sports event, challenges associatedwith it are many. Mainly these challenges areinfrastructure requirement particularly transportand accommodation. The investment requirementfor such events is huge and gestation period istime-bound. Further, demand for most utilitiescreated for huge special events is only for a shortperiod (a month). These conditions make theentrepreneurs conscious (sic perhaps they meantcautious?) of investments in this area.”Estimates are that the Delhi Government willcontribute its estimated savings of Rs. 170 crorefrom the withdrawal of LPG subsidy and the Rs.805 crore from the increase in tax on CNG anddiesel. According to Dunu Roy of the HazardsCentre, ‘the OC proclaims that it has alreadyearned about Rs 270 crore from television rights.This impressive figure is less than 1 per cent of thecurrent cost. Other incomes brandished are Rs. 960crore from sponsorship receipts, Rs. 100 crore eachfrom ticketing and donations, and Rs. 50 crorefrom licensed merchandise - so munificent thatthey barely cross 4 per cent of investment - andthis too has been exempted from tax”. 31According to media reports, sponsorship deals haveonly earned the OC Rs. 143 crore in cash from fivesponsors Air India, NTPC, Hero Honda, CentralBank of India, and Coca Cola, and another 60 crorein kind. The sponsors have been brought in byAustralian firm Sport Marketing and ManagementPrivate Limited (SMAM), engaged for this purpose.SMAM is to get between 20 and 25 % of the deal ascommission; leaving roughly Rs. 107.25 crore ofthe Rs. 143 crores with the OC. The Indian Railwayhas independently promised Rs.100 crore. 32 SMAMwas a consultant at the 2002 Manchester Gamesand 2006 Melbourne Games too. Mr. Kalmadi hasadmitted that both Melbourne and ManchesterGames did not get many multinational sponsors,which suggests that the OC may also lose out onthat front. 33In response dated 21 st June 2010, to an RTI 34 ,the OC informs that 1.7 million tickets are beingprinted for the CWG, from which it expects togain a revenue Rs. 70 crore and that 20,000 ticketswere already sold. Newspapers however, reported25

that organisers expect to sell around 17 lakhtickets in all, with earnings hovering around the Rs60 crore figure.Legacy for Whom?With respect to the legacy of the Games,the CAG Report 35 is particularly indictingon the lack of legacy planning for the sportsinfrastructure.“OC has not developed a comprehensive legacyplan for the overall legacy and long-term impactof the Games. By contrast, the legacy plan forCWG-2014 at Glasgow is already ready, and theplan for CWG-2006 at Melbourne was finalisedthree years before the games, in 2003. Further,the Sports Authority of India (SAI) had not takeneffective steps for legacy planning for utilisation,operation and maintenance of its five stadiums(to be renovated at a cost of Rs. 2475 crore).While a PPP model was envisaged in 2006, thisis yet to materialise. There is a risk that thesporting infrastructure created through substantialinvestments may not be fully exploited after theGames”.It seems that the idea of “legacy” as far as theDelhi Commonwealth Games go, is an afterthoughtat best. CAG investigations promptedthe SAI to state that it would shortly engage aTransaction Advisor to develop a Business Plan asMoUs have not been made with semi-governmentaland non-governmental venue owners for legacyaspects of the venues and possible revenue sharingarrangements.A significant part of the expenses are on sportingfacilities. However, who would these sportingfacilities benefit? World class facilities arebeyond the need of the majority, besides it canbe expected that high membership/entry feesrequired for the upkeep of facilities would makeit an unviable option for low income groups. Thuswhile a privileged few might use these facilitiesbeyond the Games, the cost for its upkeep wouldbe the responsibility of the State.Degeneration of world-class sport facilities aftera mega-sporting event is not uncommon. StadiumAustralia, the centrepiece of the sports parkconstructed for the Sydney 2000 Olympics has notfound a sustainable use, as four years later, thestadium incurred operating losses of AUD $11.1million (Rs. 44.4 crores). 36 The total subsidieswere AUD $ 46 million (Rs.184 crores) annually forunprofitable Olympic venues. Similarly, Munich’sOlympic Park shows annual losses of more than US$30 million 37 (Rs. 135 crores). The infrastructuredeveloped for the Asian Games held in Delhiin 1982, saw shoddy maintenance as well. TheJawaharlal Nehru Stadium houses other officeswhich have little to do with sports, for instance,the National Environment Appellate Authority andthe National Commission for De-notified, Nomadicand Semi-nomadic Tribes, who have moved out ofthe stadium recently, to allow for its renovationfor the CWG 2010.There is no reason to expectsporting facilities created for CWG 2010 to bemaintained any better or meet a different fate.Going by an interview with Rahul Bhatnagar, JointSecretary, MYAS, 38 there is awareness that theupkeep of sporting facilities is a challenge, andthat they are rarely used to full capacity afterthe games. For instance, the Jawaharlal NehruStadium, built in time for the Asian games 1982,was reportedly used to full capacity only on oneoccasion, thereafter, during an India-Pakistancricket match. For the CWG, right from the designstage, stadia are being designed for optimaluse, with attempts not to lose sight of the mainpurpose of the stadia. The venue for weight-liftingis being designed such that it can double up as anauditorium for concerts in future, and ‘corporateboxes’ are also being introduced in stadiums.There is also recognition that for a school to usethe stadia, the rental will have to be heavilysubsidised. However, in order not to lose sight ofthe main purpose of constructing a stadia, revenueand maintenance details being worked upon for theupkeep of stadia is to include details of time-sharefor sports and other non-sport activities.On inquiry about the economic legacy of theGames, and whether there have been economicimpact studies, the MYAS believes that the OChas undertaken them, but Mr. Bhatnagar hadn’tseen it. Neither had the former Sports Mr. Aiyar,seen the economic impact studies and wasn’tentirely sure if it existed. 39 On an appeal filed byEQUATIONS representative to its RTI application(due to the grossly inadequate responses to ourRTI applications) to the OC asking if any economicimpact studies were done prior to and plannedpost Games, we were asked to present our case inperson. In discussions with the Appellate Authority26

(speaking order) 40 the Organising Committee claims it has no idea if any economic impact study was donebefore or will be done subsequent to the Games. That cost recovery will be an uphill task was alwayssuspected and this is now increasingly clear. It is also quite clear that it is the ordinary citizens, who willcarry the burden through increased taxes over many years. It seems the show must go on, whatever thecost.End Notes1. http://cabsec.gov.in/2. See Annexure 2: The Right to Information3. Mani Shankar Aiyar, interview4. See Annexure 2: The Right to Information5. Commonwealth Games Federation (2003)6. See http://yas.nic.in/writereaddata/mainlinkfile/File728.pdf, data retrieved January 20107. “India to host 2010 Commonwealth Games”, The Hindu, 15 th November 2003 http://www.hindu.com/2003/11/15/stories/2003111507551800.htm, data retrieved January 20108. HLRN (2010), “The 2010 Commonwealth Games: Whose Wealth? Whose Commons?” http://www.hlrn.org/english/publication_det.asp?catid=2&id=47.9. Mani Shankar Aiyar, interview10. India’s Bid CWG2010, http://www.thecgf.com/games/intro.asp?yr=201011. Commonwealth Games Federation (2003)12. “India to host 2010 Commonwealth Games” The Hindu; 15 th November 2003, http://www.hindu.com/2003/11/15/stories/2003111507551800.htm, data retrieved January 201013. Rajya Sabha, Q No 2007 to the MYAS and responded to on 19th December 200314. Nevatia S and Ravindran S, “Has the city lost its priorities in the rush for cosmetic nirvana?” Outlook; 12th April 2010, http://www.outlookindia.com/ article.aspx?264893, data retrieved July 201015. HLRN 2010: Fact Sheet 4. The Social Legacy of the Games: Who Gains? Who Loses. Pg 5 refers to the Lt. Governor of Delhi admitting thatthe 1982 Asian Games Village was a mistake and that the 2010 Village should be used as a hostel.16. See Annexure 2: The Right to Information17. Comptroller and Auditor General of India (2009) “A Report on the Preparedness for the XIX Commonwealth Games, 2010”, http://www.cag.gov.in/html/commonwealth.pdf, data retrieved January 2010.18. The section on Finance in the eloquent and voluble 187 page Bid Document submitted by India is a compact 8 pages inclusive ofannexures (pgs 172-178).19. In response to Parliament Question Rajya Sabha Q no 890 responded on 04th March 2010, MYAS confirms that the budget submitted bythe OC in November 2005 was approved by the government only in April 2007. The time taken it is claimed was on account of revision inthe budget and its appraisal.20. Ministry of Tourism (2009) “Report of the Ministry of Tourism: Assessment of Number of Tourists Expected to Visit Delhi duringCommonwealth Games 2010 and Requirement of Rooms for Them”, http://tourism.gov.in/ See Surveys and Studies.21. HLRN (2010) Fact Sheet 3. The Economics of the Games: Necessary Expenditure? Wasteful Extravagance?22. Sharma, G., “Commonwealth Games Hurt the Commons”, 17th May 2010, http://www.d-sector.org/article-det.asp?id=1228&idFor=1228,data retrieved June 201023. Rajya Sabha, Q No 3064, MYAS, answered on 22nd April 201024. Rajya Sabha, Q No 426 to the MYAS answered on 25th February 201025. Bajpai, R., “Games panel whims make Delhi whine” Yahoo! News; 6th March 2010, http://in.news.yahoo.com/248/20100306/1582/tnlgames-panel-whims-make-delhi-whine.html,data retrieved March 2010.26. CWG: Delhi govt grants tax exemption, Rediff.com; 4th January 2010, http://business.rediff.com/report/2010/jan/04/cwg-delhi-govtgrants-tax-exemption.htmdata retrieved July 2010.27. Bajpai, R., “Games panel whims make Delhi whine”, Yahoo News; 6th March 201028. “To Pay for the Games” Hindustan Times; 23rd March, 2010, http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/newdelhi/To-pay-for-the-Games/Article1-522206.aspx, data retrieved March 201029. “People Burdened due to CWG expenses: Dikshit”, Thaindian News; 22nd March 2010, http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/business/people-burdened-due-to-cwg-expenses-dikshit_100338009.html, data retrieved March 201030. Ministry of Tourism (2009)31. Roy, D., “Nothing Common about this Wealth”, Hardnews; 24th March 2010, http://www.hardnewsmedia.com/2010/02/3466, dataretrieved April 201032. “Where are the sponsors?: CWG OC Struggling To Raise Rs 1,600 Crore To Repay Loan” Times of India; 2nd June 2010, http://lite.epaper.timesofindia.com/mobile.aspx?article=yes&pageid=26&edlabel=TOIBG&mydateHid=02-06-2010&pubname=&edname=&articleid=Ar02600&format=&publabel=TOI, data retrieved June 201033. “Where are the sponsors?: CWG OC Struggling To Raise Rs 1,600 Crore To Repay Loan” Times of India; 2nd June 201034. See Annexure 2: The Right to Information35. Comptroller and Auditor General of India (2009), page 5936. Conversion used: AUD $1 = Rs. 4037. Wildsmith, J. and Bradfield, M. (2007)38. Rahul Bhatnagar, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, in an interview with EQUATIONS on 2nd March, 201039. Mani Shankar Aiyar, interview40. See Annexure 2: The Right to Information27

Section IIIACCESSORISING TOURISMpinning hopes, uncovering myths29

Bolstering the tourism industry forms a large part of the Government’s agenda in the hostingof the Commonwealth Games. Post the Mumbai attacks and the global economic slump,the recovery phase in tourism has only just begun. 1 Kumari Selja, Union Minister for Tourism,Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation is “quite positive that the country’s individual economicupturn and Commonwealth Games will pull India out of the dip in foreign tourist arrivals fasterthan others”. 2 Much hope is pinned on the CWG 2010 to do its magic and this section examinesthe basis and implications of coupling mega sports events and tourism.As the CWG serves as a platform; and the worldclass city, the medium, to showcase India tothe world, tourists are no longer passive recipientsof the underlying message, but are active vehiclesthat spread it: they arrive in India, highlightingthat India has ‘arrived’.The Ministry of Tourism commissioned study 3 onassessment of tourists and room requirements hasthe following analysis of tourism impact from megasports events• “The tourism impact from the mega gamescome from four main sources:• Increased media profile attracts visitors before,during and after the Games.• Training and holding camps for elite teams.• Increased number of international competitionsin India.• Existing competitions will attract highernumbers of athletes.”This is a rather vague and disappointing analysisand like many conclusions in the MoT Report haslittle basis as substantiation. It does not lend itselfto any strategies about how tourism should or willbe enhanced because of hosting the CWG. Thekey element in the Ministry’s vision for tourismis developing infrastructure and this is eagerlysupported by no less a body than the Departmentrelated Parliamentary Standing Committee onTransport Tourism and Culture (PSC). 4In its 149 th Report appropriately titled‘Development of Tourism Infrastructure andAmenities for the Commonwealth Games 2010’,released in February 2009 and adopted in March2009, the PSC notes “As the CommonwealthGames is expected to have large scale impact onIndia’s tourism sector, the Committee decidedto take stock of the preparedness and effortsof the Government and various stakeholdersfor providing the tourists all the facilitiesincluding infrastructure development, transportinfrastructure and connectivity, conservation andpreservation of monument, hotel accommodationand human resource development etc. for makingthe event successful.”There are several assumptions throughout thereport, many of which are unsubstantiated byevidence or analysis of any depth. Predominantare the assumptions about the number of foreigntourists expected for the Games (100000 tourists)and the shortfall of rooms which then followsat 30000 rooms. The report connects the CWGwith the future flourishing of tourism in India and10 million foreign tourists predicted for 2012.The report then goes on to castigate the lack ofprogress on infrastructure development, urgesthat Delhi be cleaned up and beautified, that allmenace such as touts and encroachments be dealtwith, and a no holds barred incentivisation beoffered to private hotel developers in the formof single window clearances, tax incentives, landbanks etc.What is stark in its absence is the lack of evidencefor all these projections and conjectures whichare treated like truths. The lack of attentionto economic implications of spending of publicmoney, the disregard for the common man andany negative consequences in our bending overbackwards to make the foreign (read white)tourists feel safe and happy, is glaring. In factthe thought that the tourist could be domesticdoes not even seem to cross the mind of theParliamentary Standing Committee!Guessing Game: Arriving at the NumbersThe Ministry of Tourism’s commissioned studyon tourist arrivals and room requirement forthe CWG was prepared by the Indian Institute ofTourism and Travel Management (IITTM) Gwaliorand released in the year 2009, titled “Assessmentof Number of Tourists Expected to Visit Delhi duringCommonwealth Games 2010 and Requirement ofRooms for Them.”30

We go into a detailed critique of this study as itseems to be sole basis of the MoT and PSCs data onnumber of tourists and number of rooms requiredfor the Games.The study notes that beyond being a leisurepursuit, sports is a big industry. Sports tourism isa key component of the huge economic impactof hosting a major event like a World Cup or anOlympics. The business of sports and tourism isa complex industry, which is difficult to quantifycompletely. But it is so lucrative that countries,travel companies, tourist boards and the wholeworld of sports are keen to take benefit of it. 5Focusing on the glamour that an event like theCWG brings with it for the “brand image” of thecountry, and for industry in particular, the reportdoes not look at any of the effects of a megaevent on different sections of society. The study ismarginally critical about the claims of a boost intourism and the Games attracting several visitorsfrom across the globe. It notes three trends ofmovement in and out of the city as a result of theGames:1. Would-be-tourists put off by the Games,termed “avoiders” under the influence of thecrowding out effect. (for instance 66% of theDanish tourists avoided the Lillehammer regionduring the Olympics in 1994, and similarlythe Costa Brava region was affected by the1992 Barcelona Games, and theme park hotelowners in Los Angeles also shared similarexperiences in 1984)2. Crowding out of citizens as in Sydney 2000 with30% of its population having no interest in theGames, and 60% of those intending to leavehad chosen locations abroad and3. Visitors on limited budgets spend their moneyon the Games and not local tourist attractions,for instance Los Angeles saw a 30-50% dip invisitors at local tourist attractions during theGames, and in Sydney, attractions unrelated tothe Games also saw a dip in attendance figures.Having noted these broadly, the study does notengage with these issues in any substantiveway further in its analysis and conclusions.The MoTs report is clearly problematic on severalcounts. But what is most worrying about the studyis its selective choice of data, incorrect dataand in some cases inadequate reliance on verylimited data, in arriving at conclusions thus raisingserious questions on the robustness of its researchmethods and conclusions.There is very little referencing of data, littlereliance on credible studies on links between megaevents and tourism (like ETOA), and surprisinglylittle reliance on the Ministry of Tourism publishedofficial statistics. Page 3 refers to InternationalPassenger Survey 2009 of MoT. MoT 6 has confirmedto us that the International Passenger Survey2009 is not finalised and the last InternationalPassenger Survey published by the MoT was in2003. An important document, the Twenty YearsTourism Perspective Plan for Delhi 7 , commissionedby the MoT and published in 2003 has also not beenconsidered.In terms of methodology – what is baffling iswhile the study goes into a convoluted arrivingat CGAR (compounded annual growth rate) oftourist patterns of earlier games locations toarrive at estimates for tourist arrivals; it choosesdata of some games and rejects others. It usesonly Manchester 2002 and Melbourne 2006 touristarrival data. It does not consider the only otherAsian country to host CWG viz. Malaysia (KualaLampur) (1998) or the recent Olympics in Beijing2008 attributing their negative results to economicrecession, virus outbreak and typical foreignpolicies, disregarding them as aberrations from thenorm instead of acknowledging them as possibleinconvenient truths. The assumption seems to bethat Delhi 2010 will be miraculously indemnified orimmune from all extraneous negative factors.The study’s silence on a worst-case scenariofor CWG 2010 in Delhi, and possibilities of anegative growth rate are significant lacunae.India displaying low growth post-games is apossibility that should have been given a fairchance, given that the effects of the economicslowdown continue to be prevalent globally.With reduction in disposable incomes, trends inForeign Tourist Arrivals (FTA) in India have showna dip till recently. India has received a lot of badpress within the country and abroad with respectto the preparations for the Games itself, whichis not very encouraging for the domestic or theforeign tourist. Last but not the least, fear ofterrorist activities is also a significant factor thatis expected to keep interested visitors at bay. TheIndian Premier League cricket series in 2009 wasshifted to South Africa after the 26/11 attack onMumbai.31

The study was published in 2009. One wonderswhy it did not procure actual figures for touristsarrival in the previous Commonwealth Games 1998,2002, 2006 – actual tickets sold, actual spectators,rooms needed and additional rooms needed andoccupancy. Between the MoT and the IOA surelythere was the scope for access to such informationfrom countries that hosted earlier Games? Insteadit has chosen to remain with a set of theoreticalestimations, based on selective optimistic data. 8Furthermore, the study does not consider the datafor any Games organised in India – the Asian Games1982 (which reportedly had an international touristarrival of 200 and hotel rooms going vacant in spiteof being a “grand success”), the Afro-Asian Games2003 and the Commonwealth Youth Games 2008.This is a significant lacuna.Assessment of Number of Hotel Rooms required for CWG 2010A subsequent chapter of the study includes a tableon Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTA) in India. It doesnot pay heed to the fact that India saw only a0.69% growth in 1982, the year that the Asiad washeld, which subsequently grew to 1.30 and the-8.52 in 1983 and 1984, which doesn’t indicatemuch that the Asian Games could have done forimproving the tourist potential in the country. Infact the highpoint of that decade came only in1989 with a growth rate of 13.33, which was firstsurpassed only as recently as 2005, with a 13.33%growth.The heart of the report seems to be a table onpage 4/ page 51 which we reproduce belowand add to it a column with our comments andobservations, in order to point out what we believeare serious inconsistencies in logic.ForeignDomesticEQUATIONScommentsNormalvisitorsFor GamesSub total(domestic)Total See note 11Expected number of tourists in Delhi during12 days period of 3-14 October 200861300 1451852 Growth rate of tourists in 2009 0.00% 10.7% 10.7%Expected number of tourists in Delhi during12 days period of 3-14 October 2009 basedon normal growth61300 160720Normal growth rate of tourists in 2010 8.3% 10.7%3Additional growth rate of tourists due toCWG in 20105.31% 0 11.88% See note 24 Aversion effect 33.33% See note 35 Net growth rate of tourists in CWG 2010 13.61% 11.88%67Expected number of tourists in Delhi during12 days period of 3-14 October 2010No of tourists staying in officialaccommodation (not requiring hotelaccommodation)69643 118617 21137 139754 See note 410000No of tourists requiring accommodation 5964389% of tourists staying with friends andrelativesNo of tourists requiring hotelaccommodation11.22% See note 552951 118617 21137 139754 See note 610 Estimated number of nights of stay 9 2.51 9 See note 7111213Total no of bed nights required during CWG2010Average no of bed nights required per dayduring CWG 2010Average no of rooms required per dayduring CWG 2010 (assuming 2 beds perroom)476559 297729 190233 487962 96452139713 24811 15853 40664 8037719857 12406 7927 20333 4019032

Note 1: A serious flaw is that foreign visitors havenot been bifurcated into the two categories – forgames and normal visitors. This has an implicationon two aspects that come up later in this table –viz. length of stay and aversion factor. The studyhas not dwelled on the crucial issue of the profileof international visitors and why they visit India.For instance after the US and the UK, the largestnumber of international visitors to India are fromBangladesh. It is likely that business and medicaltreatment are high on their list of reasons to visitDelhi and sports linked tourism is low. Being a noncommonwealthcountry, tourists from the US arelikely to drop in the period of the Games. Whileacknowledging that only 41% of tourists to Indiaare from Commonwealth countries (of which theUK and Bangladesh together comprise 61%), theanalysis completely fails to consider motivations ofthese tourists.Note 2: CGAR and y-t-y growth rate taken onlyfor Melbourne and Manchester (5.31 above normalgrowth) for foreign tourists. For domestic touristsonly Melbourne is considered (11.88 above normalgrowth) and even Manchester data is dropped!Note 3: The aversion effect has been taken onlyfor domestic tourists. There is no reason to believethat the aversion effect does not apply to foreigntourists. In fact if one goes by the data on foreigntourists profile, 9 it is clear that foreign tourists visitIndia primarily for sightseeing, cultural activitiesand shopping. In fact those visiting for sportslinked reasons such as participatory sports arevery few. Thus it is logical to assume that a largepercentage of those visiting for heritage etc – arelikely to avoid Delhi during this period.Note 4: The logic by which the figure 21137 isarrived at is unclear to us.Note 5: Again it is illogical to assume thatdomestic tourists will not stay with relatives andfriends.Note 6: Tourist profile and nature ofaccommodation: Further more it is assumed thatall tourists domestic and international will stayin starred accommodation. A major flaw againin this analysis is not to take into account thedifferentiated nature of type of accommodation.The 20 year Perspective Plan and the InternationalPassenger Survey 2003 give a different picture. 10Note 7: Having not distinguished between visitorscoming as spectators for the games and other“normal visitors” it assumes that all internationalvisitors will stay 9 nights. This does not takeinto account therefore that the average stayfor international visitors is 3 days. Furthermorethe study suddenly relies solely on a 1998 studyforecasting the duration of stay of spectators forthe Sydney Olympics 2000 as 75% of the durationof the Games. With an amazing leap of faithit concludes based solely on that one piece offorecasted research (not even actual data!), thatspectators to CWG 2010 will also stay for 75% ofthe duration of the Games viz. for 9 days. ThatDelhi is not Manchester or Melbourne or Sydney isa factor that seems to not merit any considerationwhatsoever.The study (on page 60 says) “The hotel occupancyrate during Manchester Commonwealth Gameswas 82% while during Melbourne CommonwealthGames it was 82.8%. It is expected that the hoteloccupancy during the Commonwealth Games willbe nearly about 85%, which is 11% more than theaverage hotel occupancy for Delhi hotels”. Thebasis of this assumption again is quite unclear.Also one can logically assume that occupancy isa resultant factor and not a predictive factor.Occupancy is based on number of rooms vs.number of tourists (supply and demand) and itseems illogical again to predict number of roomsrequired based on assumed occupancy – a case ofputting the cart before the horse.The Associated Chambers of Commerce andIndustry of India (ASSOCHAM) also undertook astudy on the tourist arrivals for the CWG 2010,and this has been widely reported in the media.According to media releases, their Forecast Papertitled “Aftermath of CWG2010”, India will see 10million international foreign tourists in 2010, ofwhich one million of these tourists will be in Indiaduring the Games period. An additional four milliontourists during the Games period are expected tobe domestic tourists. 11Also, “(the) Commonwealth Games 2010 are likelyto push India’s FEE through tourism alone in 2010to an estimated level of over USD 16915 million(Rs. 76000 crores), as these are expected to growat cumulative rate of 20 per cent in next twoyears. 12 Repeated efforts at requesting ASSOCHAMto make available a copy of their report has been33

of no avail. We are therefore unable to judge themethodology used in their study or the accuracyof these projections, and have had to rely only ontheir press releases and media reports.Luckily the Ministry of Tourism has chosen to workwith the lower figure of one lakh foreign touristarrivals for the Games and not ASSOCHAMs onemillion, otherwise one can imagine the level offrenzy about construction of hotel rooms, as isevident in the next section. However, the seriousquestion about the wisdom of the Ministry ofrelying on one study whose methodology, data andanalysis are all weak to project a crucial number oftourists and rooms required remains unanswered.In several Parliament Questions seekinginformation on the number of tourists expected,the Ministry has given a consistent response thatits estimate is 1,00,000 tourists (requiring 40,000rooms) and adds that 90,000 spectators werepresent at Melbourne.The Obsession with Hotel RoomsThe Ministry of Tourism has been preoccupiedwith making room for the 100,000 (foreign)visitors, expected to show up at Delhi’s doorstepduring the Commonwealth Games. Keeping tabs onthe status of the number of hotels and rooms andwhat the shortfall might be is an obsession withthe Ministry with regular updates on the status ofrooms, and creative strategies being evolved totide over the impending crisis!With a view to encourage development ofhotel accommodation for the forthcomingCommonwealth Games 2010, a five year taxholiday under Section 80-ID (1) of the Income TaxAct was announced in the budget of 2007-08 fornew hotels of two, three and four star categoryand convention centres coming up between 1 stApril 2007 to 31 st March 2010 in the NationalCapital Territory of Delhi (NCT) and the districtsof Faridabad, Gurgaon, Gautam Budh Nagar andGhaziabad (National Capital Region NCR). This wasextended to 31 st July 2010. 13 A recent media articleindicated that the tax relaxation will continue forfive years. 14In fact the Parliamentary Standing Committee wenteven further with recommendations of furtherliberalisation and incentives “The Committee alsourges the Ministry to impress upon the Centraland State Governments for implementation ofsingle window clearance system for tourismprojects in order to encourage the private playersto build hotels in the country. To remove thefear of not getting the business after the games,the Government may continue to grant the taxincentives/benefits to the hotel sector.”In addition, provisions for a waiving of certainstatutory clearances for hotels, prior toconstruction (beginning from the ground level, andextended to the first level) was made, allowingclearances to be sought post the construction,with a rider that if any agency asked for aradical change, the developer would have tocomply, and therefore constructions without priorclearances were at the developers” risk. 15 Allowingcommercial activity in the lower floors of hotelswas also introduced with the Games in mind,adding to the strategies to facilitate the growth ofhotels to meet the demand for rooms. 16The Industry’s views on supply and demand vary.Confirming that supply of rooms has outstrippeddemand in India Naresh Chandnani, Vice-President- Sales, IHHR Hospitality says that “Supply hasalready gone up by 30-40 per cent in some citiesand we must be prepared to deal with the factthat prices will not be what they were two yearsago. Supply has outstripped demand and pricerationalisation has happened, which is keeping acheck on room rates.” 17 Sundeep Jain, executivevice-president, Jones Langlasalle Hotels, a hoteladvisory group opines that “The CommonwealthGames would have an impact on the hospitalityindustry, but it would be temporary. We are notseeing the market coming back to the 2007 levelanytime soon.” 18 On the danger of rooms goingunoccupied, some sources within the hospitalityindustry believe that it might be a blessing – asit will result in hotels (especially in the luxurysegment) being forced to lower their tariffs,making Delhi/India a more affordable destinationin the long run.For periodic reviews the Ministry of Tourism setup a task force to take stock of rooms in the“definite” and “likely” categories. However, with ashortage of rooms expected, the Ministry has beenexploring alternative accommodation arrangementswhich include the Incredible India Bed andBreakfast Scheme with a target of 3000, upgradingand using 3250 beds hostel room facilities from34

Delhi University and other educational institutions,upgrading 11,000 guest houses in Delhi, using 5500residential flats of the DDA to be furnished andoperated by ITDC, 19 and setting up of luxury tentsin Surajkund in Faridabad and Dondahera near theNational Highway-8 where the target is to house700 guests. 20The Incredible India Bed and Breakfast (B&B)scheme has been aggressively advertised in anattempt to reach the 3000 target. In May 2009,there were only 800 registrations, (although India’sbid document claims 1472 were registered by 2003)but by June 2010, there were 2,007 rooms in theNCR of Delhi (1,230 rooms in Delhi and 777 roomsin the NCR ie. Gurgaon, Faridabad, Noida, GreaterNoida and Ghaziabad). The idea is that foreigntourists staying with Indian families can experiencetheir culture, cuisine, and way of life. In effortsto meet the target, resident welfare associationshave also been recruited to promote theconcept through door-to-door campaigning withpromotional pamphlets and material, in additionto being advertised in newspapers and bus kiosks. 21While B&Bs can continue post-Games, farmhousesthat have expressed an interest in the scheme havehad the scheme extended to them, but only for theperiod of the Commonwealth Games. 22Apart from the fact that all B&Bs do not exude the“family feel” and needn’t particularly turn into anavenue for the woman of the house to take chargeand earn an income, B&Bs are themselves notdoing very well, and are not seeing many guests.The Bed and Breakfast Establishment Guidelinesfor Approval and Registration, B&Bs are classifiedinto two categories – gold and silver. The guidelinesindicate what the size of the room, toilets shouldbe, it also insists on air conditioners and heating,refrigerators in the room, a lounge with adequateseating in the lobby area and sufficient parkingwith adequate road width, to name a few. Thus,any B&B setting up would have to take on minimuminvestments irrespective of approval being grantedor denied. While listed and registered B&Bs havetheir share of problems, there have also been somewould-be-B&Bs, especially in the lesser developedparts of the city, where people spruced up theirhomes but did not receive approval from DelhiTourism on various grounds related to facilitiesprovided, and the possibly shabby approachroads. According to activist Kalyani Menon-Sen, 23 there were middle class and lower middleclass applicants who took loans to meet severalguidelines, but did not receive the approval of theclassification committee to get listed as a B&B. Agroup of unsuccessful applicants even petitionedthe Chief Minister.The sops being offered to the high end sectionof the accommodation sector angered the largenumber of low budget and “unclassified” hotelsin areas like Karol Bagh and Paharganj that areextremely popular with backpacking and lowbudget tourists and account for over 30000 lowbudget rooms. In an interesting twist to theaccommodation tale, in May 2010 they threatenedto boycott the CWG, if the government did notoffer them any help. “All we are telling thegovernment is that when they can spend Rs 140crore to upgrade and renovate the Ashoka Hotel,why can’t they help the hotels here, which will behosting a majority of the visitors to the city,” saidArun Gupta, secretary general of the Delhi HotelMahasangh. 24 Seemingly in response to this pressurethe MoT scrambled to announce (on 26 th May 2010)an “Interest Subsidy Scheme for the Upgradation ofGuest Houses” in the NCT of Delhi. 25The scheme would be applicable only to licensedguest houses as per the guidelines of the Ministry,which would provide Interest Subsidy on loan ofmaximum Rs. 2 lakh per room basis subject to anupper limit of Rs. 60 lakh per Guest House. Alsolinking with the Commonwealth Games 2010, thesubsidy is applicable for loans that are sanctionedand first instalment released by 31 st July 2010 andonly if the upgradation work is completed by 20 thSeptember 2010.When the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD)dragged its feet on the process of issuing oflicences to guest houses in Delhi, the MoT had topush the MCD to do the needful. An office bearerof the Guest House Owners’ Association of Delhisaid that in the absence of licence renewals,majority of the guest houses will not be able toavail the loans and interest subsidy scheme forupgradation of guest houses. Around 90 per centof the licensed guest houses could not renew theirlicences. 26 In the latest development of this fastchanging scenario the Delhi Hotel & RestaurantOwners decided not to apply for the Delhi stateapproval and demanded approval from the MoT.Guest house owners fear that they will be deprivedof all the benefits of India Tourism’s overseaspromotional programmes, if they accept the Delhistate approval. 2735

Rea(i)lty Scam?In the obsession with shortage of rooms theParliamentary Standing Committee on Transport,Tourism and Culture came up with some ratherbizarre suggestions: “To meet the requirement ofhotel accommodations we have to look for hotelaccommodations beyond Delhi and NCR. In such asituation cities like Agra, Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur,Khajuraho can serve as alternative. It appearsto be a difficult task, but not impossible. Thereis need to increase the speed of trains runningbetween Delhi and Agra and Delhi and Jaipur.There should be direct air connectivity to andfrom Delhi to these cities where tourists can stayand come to Delhi to enjoy game events withoutmuch loss of time. Even other cities like Mumbaiand Kolkata may be sensitized to accommodate thetourist pressure during Commonwealth Games.” 28One can only hope that the Committee is notserious in suggesting that spectators for the Gamesevents stayed in Khajuraho and Udaipur and fly inevery day! As the Committee itself points out – it isdifficult but not impossible!Notwithstanding all this hyperactivity andhyperbole, it may be useful to dig deeper andunderstand some of the dynamics from theperspective of real estate.As per the CAG report, India’s bid document in2003 estimated 30000 spectators for the Games, 29but thanks to the MoT study a “more refinedassessment” upwards to 100000 has been made,which translates to 40000 rooms. Thus, afterconsidering the already available 11,000 roomsof hotel accommodation in Delhi and NCR, anadditional requirement of about 30,000 rooms fortourists and visitors was projected”.India’s bid document had this to say in 2003,“Delhi very easily will be offer much moreaccommodation than is considered appropriateto cope with the anticipated inflow for the 2010CWG. It assessed a total of 7927 rooms in thestarred category. 30 A few months later the GECreport mentioned “A plentiful supply of good hotelrooms exist. Delhi boasts of 9000 first class hotelswhich will meet the accommodation needs of theCommonwealth Games Family. 31However this sense of confidence changeddramatically a few years later when the figureof 40000 rooms began to do the rounds. The firstmention that we could trace of the 40000 figureseems to be in February 2007, when Ambika Soni(then) Minister of Tourism and Culture respondedto a Parliament Question 32 on “Action Plan forCWG.”Asked if:1. An assessment of number of tourists expectedin the NCT for the CWG was made and if2. An assessment of hotel rooms required wasmade.The Minister’s response is surprising:1. No estimate has been made regarding thenumber of tourists expected to arrive in theNational Capital Territory of Delhi during theCommonwealth Games 2010. However, 90000visitors visited Melbourne during the MelbourneGames.2. Yes, Sir. The Ministry of Tourism has assessedthat the city of Delhi will require 30,000 hotelrooms and a total of approx. 40000 rooms inthe NCR to meet the requirement of the CWG2010.It is quite incomprehensible how the hotel roomsrequired could be so confidently assessed at 40000,when the number of tourists expected to arrivewas not estimated. What is also striking that twoyears later in 2009 the study commissioned bythe Ministry of Tourism on the number of touristsestimated and therefore number of rooms requiredarrived providentially at exactly the same figure of40000 rooms.The MoT certainly set into motion the process ofaugmenting hotel accommodation with the keyplayers being various landowning agencies such asDDA, DIAL, DMRC, Governments of Haryana andUttar Pradesh, (Noida, Gaziabad, Gurgaon) andthe Railways. Of these the largest expectation was9000 rooms from Haryana and 7000 rooms throughthe DDA route. According to the CAG report “DDAhad auctioned 6 sites for 650 rooms (even beforethis responsibility was assigned to DDA in January2006) and another 33 sites for 5369 rooms by March2008.On 28 th April 2010 in response to a ParliamentQuestion 33 on “Allotment of Land for Hotels” theMinister of State for Urban Development confirmedthat out of 39 hotels where land was allotted byDDA only 4 had completed construction. In 12 there36

was substantial progress, in 10 some progress andon 13 no progress at all.Some months prior to this, on 30 th November 2009the Ministry of Tourism admitted 34 that 20 hotelierswere considered to have “opted out” of the CWGlinked construction project. The reasons attributedare the global economic crisis of end 2008 andclearances that were required from too manydifferent agencies. 35The category of accommodation being built hasnot been specified in the various updates of theMinistry of Tourism – all rooms are treated assimilar and not differentiated into starred andnon-starred categories, and further within thestarred category as budget, luxury and superluxury. However given the fact that the tax holidaywas for hotels in the one to four star category, itis likely that all these DDA sites were intended forstarred hotels.However it is the budget, mid-range range andlower end hotels that the shortage exists, and thisis the area where the least attention is being paid.In Urban Designer K.T Ravindran’s 36 opinion, manyyoung people from different States, and schoolsand college groups will come to Delhi for theGames, but low-cost accommodation has not beengiven much attention in the run up to the Games. 37In fact, in the response to a Parliament Question 38specifically on “Yatri Niwas Type Hotels” answeredon 17 th December 2009 as to (a) whetherGovernment propose to build Yatri Niwas typehotels before the Commonwealth Games, 2010; (b)if so, details thereof with approximate rooms likelyto be constructed.The response from Kumari Selja, Minister ofTourism was a clear and simple “No”. The questionof approximate rooms likely to be constructed inthis category, therefore, as per the response, didnot arise.The auctioning of sites for hotel development byDDA has been instrumental in playing havoc withreal estate prices. A report “The Real Demand forRooms”, 39 by ECS Private Limited in March 2008,quotes Praveen Chugh, Chairman, Travel AgentsFederation of India (TAFI) from the perspectiveof the industry, “rigid land use laws, skyrocketingreal estate prices and lots of formalities have keptthe industry from building more hotels required toaccommodate the swell in tourist arrivals. In thesame tone, lands, which are sold through auctionsand tenders, have mind-boggling rates that wouldjustify only “seven-star” properties. The auctioningcreated an artificial demand, to increase the plotprice that never existed.”K.T Ravindran opines that almost all hotels thatare coming up in the luxury sector are a functionof the way in which land is auctioned. He adds thatDelhi’s Master Plan allowing for three or floor floorswithin a hotel for commercial activity becomes anadded incentive to buy land at higher prices andenhances the auction value of the land. 40In an article analysing the scorching land deals inDelhi, MD of HVS India, a consulting firm focussingon the hotel industry, Manav Thadani points out,“Globally, the land cost in any hotel project isbetween 15-20 per cent and in India, it has beenaround 30-35 per cent. However, with the recentexample of exorbitant prices being quoted in thebids, the land cost goes up to 70-75 per cent of thetotal project cost, which makes it unviable. Thisis pushing hoteliers towards the luxury segmentrather than the budget category at these sites inorder to get a swift return on investments.”Another cause for alarm he says is non-hoteliersbuying land. “This is specially so in case ofbuilders acquiring hotel plots. It is uncertainwhether they want to convert the plot into ahotel or just multiply their investments. Some ofthese developers wish to sell the plots in order tomultiply their investments. This is what will upsetthe industry as hotels need to be constructed andbe operational before the Commonwealth Games2010.”Thadani cautions that the government needs toget more serious about this. “There is a clausein the new auctions that does not allow secondsale and penalty on not starting the constructionby the agencies, which is comforting. The earlierauctions should also be brought under this,” hesays. In around 18 plots auctioned by the DDA inthe recent past, only four to five plots are underconstruction, which highlights the bleak picture.The DDA managed to earn as much as Rs 1.25 lakhper square metre and plots were sold for overthree times the reserve price. 4137

It is increasingly clear that the “opportunity” thatthe CWG provided has been primarily used byreal estate developers and builders to enter thehotel industry, catering to higher end clientele.It is evident that the auction for so many siteswould not have happened were it not for thepressure put to accomplish 40000 rooms for theGames. However, barring the 4 out of 39 hotelsthat completed construction, the remaining 36 aresitting pretty on real estate, likely to be in primelocations in Delhi. In the normal course, as perthe projections of the Twenty year Perspectiveplan for Tourism for Delhi, the gap in demand andsupply of rooms in the starred category, keepingin view growth projections for tourist arrivals wasa mere 2988 rooms. 42 It would be interesting tofigure out why the hotels built in neighbouringHaryana and Uttar Pradesh who were able to“deliver” rooms were not as hit by the globalrecession, which seems to have hit the ability ofNCT of Delhi starred hotels sites in a particularlyharsh way! It seems that this merits furtherinvestigation, as there is more here than meets theeye.The Spill-OverThe “spill-over effect” is one of spin offs ofgetting the Commonwealth Games to Delhi asit is hoped that tourists who come all the way toIndia to watch the Games, will also want to seewhat the rest of India looks like. This is what thetourism industry looks forward to, to give it a legup. The Parliamentary Standing Committee report,deals substantially with this aspect and the statusof arrangements.The states that are gearing up for the anticipated“spill-over” tourists are primarily Rajasthan, UttarPradesh, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, beingmost accessible from Delhi. A blanket suggestionof the Parliamentary Standing Committee withrespect to accommodation has been to extendthe tax incentives/benefits as provided to thehotels in the National Capital Region (NCR) ofDelhi to the hotels in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana,Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, including singlewindow clearances for the hotel projects to privateplayers in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan andMadhya Pradesh who are interested in settingup of new hotels to facilitate the growth of theaccommodation sector to tourists during theperiod of the Games. In addition, it suggeststhat the State Governments of Uttar Pradesh,Haryana and Rajasthan should be provided centralgrants in order to meet the shortfall in hotelaccommodation. In the wake of these suggestions,the hotels in these states have indeed receivedmany sops and incentives to construct, expand andupgrade hotels.With respect to transport and connectivity, toensure “seamless travel”, a one-time road taxsystem initiated by Ministry of Tourism and Ministryof Road Transport and Highways by Government ofIndia, was suggested by the Parliamentary StandingCommittee. Scheduled to be effective fromDecember 2009, this allows commercial and touristvehicles of registered tour operators on the GoldenTriangle Tour of India to pay the road tax only onceat the beginning of the trip, without having to pullover every time they enter a new state. 43The Committee also recommends that theMinistry of Railways increase the speed of thetrains and double lining of rail line between Delhiand Jaipur. The Udaipur and Jaipur Airports areslated to function as International airports bythe end of 2009, another recommendation of theCommittee. 44To improve monument maintenance and othertourist attractions, the Ministry of Tourism hassanctioned tourism projects and released fundsunder the Central Financial Assistance Scheme forthe “holistic development of the golden triangle.The Government of Uttar Pradesh is focused onarrangements for Agra as it expects one milliontourists. (The Taj receives about 3.2 milliontourists a year 45 both foreign and domestic, so thebasis for 1 million just during the CWG period isnot clear at all). The PSC, noting the “long andarduous” journey between Delhi and Agra, andpoor access roads to the Taj Mahal, urges thatthe six lane Taj Express way right from Noidaand Greater Noida under construction is to becompleted by the time the CWG commence 46and this is expected to reduce the travel timebetween Delhi and Agra by an hour. Easy ticketingprocedures to gain entry to the Taj Mahal, anda relaxation of rules to allow for the viewing ofthe Taj Mahal by night, including viewing of theTaj Mahal from the other side of Yamuna, MehtabBagh where amenities for drinking water andtoilet facilities are being sought. However, theCommittee also recommends that a survey should38

e conducted by the Government to ascertain thecarrying capacity of the monument to protect itfrom being damaged by over crowding.In addition to these primary States, a spill overis also hoped for in Shimla, Mussoorie, Nainital,and Manali in Uttaranchal, Himachal Pradesh,and Jammu & Kashmir. Being promoted are alsotourist destinations in Goa, Andaman and Nicobar,and Leh and Ladakh, and the Northeast as Indiantravel agencies are also preparing specializedtour packages for the Commonwealth Games of2010 for these destinations. 47 Karnataka, Andhra,and Maharashtra are also laying the ground forpotential “medical tourists” among the visitors forthe CWG. 48However the official website of the CommonwealthGames has a very curious map for tourismdestinations with largely two clusters in northernIndia (Delhi and surrounds – up to Bandhavgarh andKanha), and then the next cluster in South India(starting with Bangalore and mostly Karnataka,Kerala and parts of Tamil Nadu). What is significantto note is what is absent – most of the strifetorn parts of India have been “blanked out” inwhat seems to be an unconscious internal traveladvisory or security warning for foreign tourists bythe CWG OC. Thus Jammu and Kashmir, CentralIndia – particularly Chattisgarh, Jharkhand, Orissa,parts of Andhra Pradesh, and the entire NorthEastern region are off the “destinations” map. Onewonders if the Ministry of Tourism having delegatedthe organising of tours to the OC’s Games TravelOffice, and the Ministry of Home Affairs haveapproved of this idea of “approved” destinations.Map 1: Travel Destinations in India on official website of CWG 2010Source: CWG Delhi 2010 Website (http://www.cwgdelhi2010.org/)Marketing the Games, Marketing IndiaThe Ministry of Tourism has been allocatedRs. 250 crore for overseas marketing of theCommonwealth Games. The Delhi Government issimilarly in charge of promoting tourism and theCommonwealth Games within India for which itwas allocated Rs. 30 crore. 49 The CommonwealthGames was the theme for the Indian TravelPavilion at the World Travel Market held in Londonin November 2009, where the Tourism Ministry’s“Incredible India” campaign won the World TravelAward 2009 for being the year’s best campaign aswell. 50 The Ministry of Tourism held an IncredibleIndia Road Show in Johannesburg on 12 th January2010, to coincide with the passing of the Queen’sBaton to promote Commonwealth Games 2010. 51The Ministry of Tourism has also slated promotionalshows between April and June 2010 in variouscapital cities abroad that include Toronto, Sydney,39

Auckland, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. Duringthe period of the Games, “beauty cameras” arealso being set up to showcase the city from atourism perspective. Snapshots of the city takenby these cameras are expected to be aired duringthe transmission of the Games on domesticand international channels providing televisioncoverage. 52 BBC, CNN, Experience India Societyhave partnered with the Ministry of Tourismto promote Incredible India Campaign both ininternational and domestic markets through shortfilms with the unifying thematic line “Only inIndia”. 53Marketing Incredible India abroad has gone hand inhand with giving tourists special incentives to visitIndia. A 50% waiver of visa fees for visitors fromCommonwealth Nations has also been proposed,and the MoT is to bear the expense of the waiver. 54In another promotional exercise with culturalovertones, the OC CWG has joined hands withSociety for Promotion of Indian Classical Musicand Culture amongst Youth, better known as SPICMACAY. The partnership with SPIC MACAY aims atspreading awareness of the Games across youthin educational events around India and mobilisingtheir support and participation. 500 schools andcolleges have been targeted in New Delhi and theNCR, where specially created material will bedistributed, photo-exhibitions and short-films willbe screened and Shera, the mascot will also bevisiting campuses. Promotional messages are alsoto be read out during “Music in the Park” concerts.Dr. Kiran Seth, Founder SPIC MACAY has beenquoted to have said “It is a matter of nationalpride that we ensure the success of the Games”.The Ministry of Tourism clearly sees promotionabroad and infrastructure development asits key roles. In fact it adroitly sidestepped aParliamentary Question 55 on why it did not focuson domestic promotion, by reiterating its allocatedbudget of Rs 250 crores for promotion abroad.Training and Awareness ProgrammesTraining and awareness programmes beingundertaken are basically with auto-drivers,porters at railways stations, and travel guides,equipping them to talk basic English, and teachingthem courtesy and “etiquette” for the benefit offoreign tourists who have a tendency to be lostwhen it comes to availing basic facilities becauseof the language barrier. Porters at railway stationsare all set to adopt more aesthetic uniforms andbecome porter-cum-guides at the end of thetraining programme initiated for them by theRailway Ministry. In the first phase, 2800 portershave been “groomed” on historical places inand around Delhi; taxi and bus fares; venues ofthe Commonwealth Games; facilities in railwaystations like wheelchairs, ATMs, STD/ISD booths,waiting halls and internet café. 56Similarly, around 8000 auto rickshaw drivers ofDelhi have been compensated with Rs. 200 toattend a training program that will involve classesin yoga, life skills, first aid, spoken English andpsychometric tests as an interesting perceptionfrom the Ministry of Tourism is that the image ofthe auto-driver communicates the image of India. 57DTC bus drivers and conductors are also toreceive training on soft skills, basic Englishlanguage and skill sensitization in collaborationwith the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). 58Gwalior based Institute of Tourism and TravelManagement (IITTM) has been training guides onmajor monuments and tourist attractions aroundthe city, and how to answer tourist queries, and acertificate of completion is being awarded to thetrainees. The Delhi Government is also planning totie up with INTACH 59 to train guides. Additionally,a tourist guide policy based on “earn while youlearn” is also being developed. 60 The most recentcandidates for attitudinal training are immigrationofficials – being the “moment of truth” face ofIndia when foreign tourists arrive.Equal emphasis is being provided for the actualconduct of the Games. 30,000 volunteers is thetarget for training under a programme launchedby the OC called “Delhi United” 61 , though theoriginal bid document had estimated the need foronly 18,000 volunteers. Volunteers will receiveinstruction that will comprise general training,event leadership, role specific training, andvenue training, toward the smooth conduct of theGames. 62Athithi Devo BhavaThe Commonwealth Games has sent intooverdrive the idea of “athithi devo bhava” 63which has been a pet phrase of the Ministry ofTourism. In the rush to make every event worthyof the approbation of the tourist, we seem to40

have lost our sense of perspective. Referringto the glorification of the Queen’s Baton relay,former Deputy Speaker of the Punjab AssemblyBir Devinder Singh has questioned its relevance tosovereign nations like India, 64 who long have movedout of the shadow of their colonial past.In pushing forward the slogan of athithi devobhava, tourism becomes both the raisond’être and the means for sorting out a range offundamental problems, all of them long standingand seemingly intractable – ranging from pollutedrivers, to ugly slums, to transportation tangles. TheParliamentary Standing Committee however takesthe concept to new heights and its report reflectsa consistent concern about what the foreign (readwhite 65 ) tourist will feel, think, experience andneed.The Committee recommends that the citymonuments, places of tourist interest and theGames Village should be well connected for easyaccessibility to these places and for smooth flow oftraffic. The Committee also recommends that theMinistry of Railway should be pursued for providingbasic amenities like, drinking water, tea, coffee,parking facilities, clean toilets and well maintainedclean waiting rooms, porters with trolleys at themain stations. The Ministry of Civil Aviation shouldprovide infrastructure facilities at the airport tomeet the ever increasing traffic requirements andquality of service. The Delhi Government shouldmake a comprehensive map for the entire city withall information regarding different bus routes andmetro-lines to make commuting easy. This way, thetourist will get wonderful feeling and experience ofreaching a place and coming back safe and sound.(Para 57)The Committee is surprised to know that there isno specific law to deal with the touts stringently.At present the action is taken under Section 151of CrPC and Section 97 of the Delhi Police Actfor creating nuisance that provide very minorpunishment. The Committee welcomes the moveof the Government of Delhi for enactment of alaw for the safety of the tourists and to protectthe tourist from the touts. The Committee is ofthe opinion that the safety and security of touristsis paramount and should be looked into seriouslyand recommends the Ministry to pursue the otherState Governments for enactment of the law andcreation of tourist police force for ensuring of thesafety and security of the tourists at the earliest.(Para 80)The Committee notes the sorry state of affairs incleaning and maintenance of river Yamuna. Theconcerned agencies are not aware of who is doingwhat and passing the blame and responsibility toone and other. The Committee feels that thereappears a lack of coordination between differentagencies of Union, State and the local bodies. TheCommittee, therefore, recommends that the workof cleaning and beautification of river-bed shouldbe integrated and designated to a single agencyfor better result or else, there should be closecoordination between DJB and the DDA who aremandated to do the two works. The Committeewas surprised to find that DDA was blissfullyunaware of its responsibility of developingYamuna river front. These works – cleansing andbeautification of river front – should be givenutmost importance and urgency because the entireGames Village is being erected just on the banks ofYamuna.(Para 94)The Committee observes that the entire Delhishould be clean and neat for attracting tourists.However, the nallahs criss-crossing the city, givean unpleasant experience to anyone who visitsDelhi. The Committee therefore, recommends thatthe Ministry of Tourism should take up the issue ofcleaning of nallahs at the highest level to ensurethat all the drains are cleaned and landscapingand beautifications work is done before theCommonwealth Games 2010.(Para 95)These extracts from the report are to indicate theextent to which the Commonwealth Games andthe hope of impressing foreign tourists is able tomobilise a Parliamentary Committee. Surely ourParliamentarians will agree that a clean Yamuna,nallahs not polluted by sewers, safety and security,clean toilets, and safe drinking water are primarilythe right of the citizens of Delhi.41

End Notes1. “Tourism in India has grown steadily despite economic meltdown: Selja”, Thaindian News; 18 th August 2009, http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/business/tourism-in-india-has-grown-steadily-despite-meltdown-selja_100234441.html, data retrieved June 20102. Sharma, V., “We will try to increase job opportunities: Selja”, The Tribune; 7 th June 2009, http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20090607/edit.htm#3, data retrieved June 20103. Ministry of Tourism (2009) Report of the Ministry of Tourism: “Assessment of Number of Tourists Expected to Visit Delhi duringCommonwealth Games 2010 and Requirement of Rooms for Them”, http://tourism.gov.in data retrieved June 2010.4. Department-Related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism & Culture (2009) “Development of Tourism Infrastructureand Amenities for the Commonwealth Games 2010” http://rajyasabha.nic.in/rsnew/rsweb.asp, see Standing Committees Departmentrelated.5. Ministry of Tourism (2009), Page 106. Checked with S V Singh (Ministry of Tourism) telephonically on 9 th July 2010. The MoT website also does not have the survey 2009uploaded.7. Ministry of Tourism, 20 Year Tourism Perspective Plan for the State of Delhi (2003)8. On asked if the MoT intends a post Game study to assess the tourism impact and how many tourists actually came, Secretary Tourismadmitted it was not planned but a good idea. Interview with Sujit Banerjee, Secretary Tourism, on 9 th March 20109. See Annexure 3: Official Tourism Statistics & Analysis. B – Factors Influencing Choice of Destination of Foreign Tourists visiting India (in %)10. See Annexure 3: Official Tourism Statistics & Analysis. C - Percentage Distribution of Tourists using various Categories of Accommodation11. “ Commonwealth Games 2010 to lift tourism earnings: ASSOCHAM”, Travel Biz Monitor; 2 nd February 2009, http://www.travelbizmonitor.com/commonwealth-games-2010-to-lift-tourism-earnings-assocham-4910, data retrieved January 201012. “Commonwealth Games 2010 to lift tourism earnings: ASSOCHAM”, Travel Biz Monitor13. “New Delhi to witness 2,224 hotel rooms for Commonwealth Games 2010” HospitalityBiz India; 29 th March 2010, http://www.hospitalitybizindia.com/detailNews.aspx?aid=7768&sid=41, data retrieved March 201014. Dhawan S, Games: Haryana crosses hotel target, Tribune News Service; 15 th June 2010, http://www.tribuneindia.com/2010/20100616/delhi.htm#5, data retrieved July 201015. K.T Ravindran, Urban Designer, in an interview with EQUATIONS on 04 th March 201016. K.T Ravindran, interview17. Tiwari, A. K., Supply deluge = hotel room rates look capped, DNA; 1 st April 2010, http://www.dnaindia.com/money/report_supplydeluge-hotel-room-rates-look-capped_136591418. 21 hotel set to increase room tariffs from October 1, Moushmi Das Gupta, Hindustan Times; 3rd September 2009 http://www.hindustantimes.com/21-hotels-set-to-increase-room-tariffs-from-Oct-1/Article1-449675.aspx, data retrieved July 201019. “Union Tourism Minister reviews progress of creation of additional accommodation for CWG-2010”, DARE; 21 st October 2009,http://www.dare.co.in/news/others/union-tourism-minister-reviews-progress-of-creation-of-additional-accommodation-for-cwg-2010.htm dataretrieved January 201020. “Luxury tents for Commonwealth Games visitors at Surajkund”, DNA; 10 th January 2010, http://www.dnaindia.com/sport/report_luxurytents-for-commonwealth-games-visitors-at-surajkund_1332988,data retrieved January 201021. “Homestay in Delhi for the Games” 12 th May 2009, http://www.thecommonwealthgames.org/delhi-2010/travel-to-delhi/places-to-stay/homestay-in-delhi-for-the-games, data retrieved January 201022. Renjhen, P., “2010 Commonwealth Games Accommodation – Delhi Pulling Out All The Stops”, Accommodation Times; undated, http://www.accommodationtimes.com/real-estate-news/2010-commonwealth-games-accommodation-delhi-pulling-out-all-the-stops/, dataretrieved March 201023. Kalyani Menon-Sen, activist with Jagori, in an interview with EQUATIONS on 13 th March 201024. Devasia, S., “Paharganj hoteliers threaten to boycott CWG” Mid Day; 8 th March 2010, http://www.mid-day.com/news/2010/mar/080310-Delhi-Paharganj-hoteliers-boycott-CWG.htm, data retrieved June 201025. Ministry of Tourism, Notification No.14.TH.II (1)/2009 Dated 26 th May 201026. Kumar, K. P., “MOT asks MCD to expedite issuing of licences to guest houses in Delhi”, Hospitality Biz India; http://www.hospitalitybizindia.com/detailNews.aspx?aid=8310&sid=1, data retrieved June 201027. “Delhi guest house owners not to accept Delhi state approval”, Hospitality Biz India; 13 th July 2010, http://www.hospitalitybizindia.com/detailNews.aspx?aid=8548&sid=41 data retrieved July201028. PSC (2009), Pg 3429. However, it is not very clear to us where this assertion appears either in the Bid document or in the Report of the Evaluation Commission30. India’s Bid CWG 2010, Pg 140-14131. Commonwealth Games Federation (2003), Pg 7932. Rajya Sabha Q No 244 MoT responded on 27 th February 200733. Lok Sabha Q No 4588 MUD responded on 23 rd April 201034. “MoT’s Commonwealth Games 2010 hotel project sees 20 hoteliers opting out”, Hospitality Biz India; 30 th November 2009, http://www.hospitalitybizindia.com/detailNews.aspx?aid=6848&sid=6, data retrieved January 201035. Sujit Bannerjee, Secretary Ministry of Tourism in an interview with EQUATIONS on 9 th March 201036. K.T Ravindran, Urban Designer, in an interview with EQUATIONS on 04 th March 201037. However, one interesting legacy of the Games, Mr Ravindran’s opinion is the proposal for a “hospitality city” near the airport built on thePPP model called the “Janata Hotel” with the low-end air traveller in mind, but it would depend on how the hospitality city is managed,and on how well the original intent of the hotel is maintained. Similarly, various hostels that are being constructed in close proximity tosports venues could be an interesting legacy of the Games, depending on whether these sports hostels have a continuous inflow of sportspeople who use revamped sports facilities for training purposes, and contributing to the development of sports at a national level38. Rajya Sabha Q No 3195, MoT answered on 17 th December 200939. ECS (2008) “The Real Demand for Rooms”, http://www.ecs-limited.com/download/78.pdf, data retrieved, January 201040. K.T. Ravindran, interview42

41. Singh, P. K. “Scorching land deals”, Express Hospitality; 01-15 April 2008, http://www.expresshospitality.com/20080415/management06.shtml, data retrieved January 201042. See Annexure 3: Official Tourism Statistics & Analysis. D - Supply Demand Gap for Accommodation Units43. Lucy, G., “Golden Triangle Tour in India gets Booster Shots for 2010 Commonwealth Games”, Articlebase; 10 th December 2009, http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-tips-articles/golden-triangle-tour-in-india-gets-booster-shots-for-2010-commonwealth-games-1563213.html,data retrieved January 201044. “Rajasthan Readies for Commonwealth Games Tourists”, Thaindian News; 28 th April 2008, http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/worldnews/rajasthan-readies-for-commonwealth-games-tourists_10042692.html,data retrieved January 201045. See Annexure 3: Official Tourism Statistics & Analysis. F – Tourist visitations to the Taj Mahal, Agra46. Kumar L, Taj Expressway to open before Games, Times of India; 5 th March 2010, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Tajexpressway-to-open-before-Games/articleshow/5644679.cmsdata retrieved July 201047. Franklin, J., “India Tourism Industry Is Gearing Up For Commonwealth Games 2010 Article Snatch”, undated, http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/India-Tourism-Industry-Is-Gearing-Up-For-Commonwealth-Games-2010/799864, data retrieved January 201048. “Commonwealth Games 2010 to lift tourism earnings: ASSOCHAM”, Medinet India; 2 nd February 2009, http://www.medinetindia.com/news.php?n_id=7649. “Plan to promote CW Games abroad” Business Line; 26 th January 2010, http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2010/01/27/stories/2010012751810900.htm, data retrieved January 201050. Branding Incredible India: Tourism Ministry’s “Incredible India” campaign won the World Travel Award 2009 for being the year’s bestcampaign, 3 rd December 2009, http://www.4to40.com/indian_travel_places/indian_travel_news_index.asp?id=471&travel_news=Sujit_Banerjee51. “Incredible India road show held in Johannesburg”, NetIndian; 13 th January 2010, http://netindian.in/news/2010/01/13/0004814/incredible-india-road-show-held-johannesburg, data retrieved January 201052. Leena Nandan, Project Director, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, in an interview with EQUATIONS on 05 th March 201053. “Ambika Soni launches e-commerce platform on Incredible India”, MoT Press Release; 25 th July 2007, http://www.pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=2937354. MoT likely to waive off 50 per cent Visa fee for Commonwealth natives, Travelbiz Monitor; 16 th January,2010, http://www.travelbizmonitor.com/PrintArticle.aspx?aid=9354&sid=0, data retrieved January 201055. Rajya Sabha Q No 856 MoT responded on 8 th March 201056. Mukherjee, S., “Railways dishes out English lessons to Delhi porters”, Deccan Herald; 6 th January, 2010, http://www.deccanherald.com/content/45177/railways-dishes-english-lessons-delhi.html57. Singh, H. S., “English lessons for India’s rickshaw drivers”, CNN; 16 th September 2009, http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/09/15/india.rickshaw/, data retrieved January 201058. “Communication programme for DTC drivers for Commonwealth Games”, India eNews; 30 th September 2009, http://www.indiaenews.com/business/20090909/219929.htm, data retrieved January 201059. Indian National Trust For Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH)60. Roy, E., “Games on mind, Delhi plans tourist guide policy”, Express India; 26 th October, 2007, http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/games-on-mind-delhi-plans-tourist-guide-policy/232495/, data retrieved January 201061. “30,000 volunteers to be roped in for Commonwealth Games”, Thaindian News; 4 th December, 2009, http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/uncategorized/30000-volunteers-to-be-roped-in-for-commonwealth-games_100284417.html62. See http://www.cwgdelhi2010.org/delhiunited/?q=node/412, data retrieved January 201063. Sanskrit term meaning ‘the guest is God”, signifies host guest relations in ancient Indian culture. Currently the title of a Ministry ofTourism campaign to sensitise the general; public and tourism stakeholders towards tourists.64. PTI, “Put Immediate halt to Queens Baton”, Hindustan Times; 4 th July 2010 http://www.hindustantimes.com/rssfeed/punjab/Putimmediate-halt-to-Queen-s-Baton-Former-Punjab-Dpty-Speaker/Article1-567289.aspxdata retrieved July 201065. After the UK, the largest number of foreign tourists from Commonwealth countries arriving in India are Bangladeshis followed by SriLankans.43

Section IVTHE MAKING OF THE WORLD CLASS CITY45

The city of Delhi is under siege. Having been persuasive enough to win the bid to host theGames, the country in general, and Delhi in particular, is preparing for the Games, almost ona war footing, as concerns of time-lags, quality facilities, and security apprehensions are beingarticulated from different quarters. This section traces developments in Delhi that are takingplace in its commitment to being a “world class city” in honour of the impending Games.In an essay titled “Deconstructing the ‘world class’city” 1 Lalit Batra gives a succinct understandingof the world class city, also referring to SaskiaSassen’s “The Global City: New York, London,Tokyo” published in 1991. Batra says, “[...]attempts of the ruling elite at neo-liberalreconfiguration of major Indian cities into the socalled‘world class’ cities characterized by leisureliving, high-end infrastructure, a spectacularconsumptive landscape and nodal positioningin terms of attracting and controlling the flowof transnational capital. This reconfigurationis undergirded by far-reaching transformationsin investment patterns, spatial formations,employment structure, governance paradigm andclass relations unleashed by powerful forces ofeconomic reforms in the early ’90s. Indian cities,especially the metros, are today increasinglysought to be modelled on the image of globalcities such as New York, London or Tokyo tofunction as nodes in the circulation of high finance,information flows, hi-tech productive activities andglobal tourism.”Tied closely in with the idea of a world-class city isnational pride, and this has become the leit-motifof a wide cross section of actors in the desire thatDelhi live up to the idea of a world-class city, eachaccentuating different aspects that they believeare crucial to the concept. 2 The idea of nationalpride is also inextricably linked with Delhi hostingthe Commonwealth Games.Ashok Kumar Walia, Minister of Finance,Government of Delhi a vocal champion fortransforming Delhi into a world class city 3 says“Our vision for Delhi is essentially based on thepremise of making it a world-class city. TheCommonwealth Games in 2010 is another areawhich is going to serve as a growth propeller andcatalyst for the development of the city.” Talkingabout the limitations of the Government, the ChiefMinister Sheila Dixit has also said “People should,therefore, also contribute to making it a worldclasscity ahead of the Commonwealth Games,”she said.Fortifying InfrastructureThe pursuit of “global standards” forinfrastructure fortification for the Games hasmeant primarily lots of clearances from variousGovernmental agencies, vast sums of money,and an expediting of projects to meet the 2010deadline. HLRN’s Report 4 is a meticulously researchaccount of the promises and costs of infrastructuredevelopment in making Delhi a world class city forthe Games. To cater to the needs of the Gamesamenities and utilities such as water, power,security systems and solid waste management arebeing augmented specifically 5 to addresses theneeds of the Games. That this would have beenplanned and distributed quite differently andwould have catered to a completely different setof stakeholders if the Games were not the focusof the investment, makes mockery of the so calledlegacy of the Games.Transportation and AccessibilityTransport and accessibility have been amongthe topmost priorities in the preparationfor the Games, leaving no stone unturned withroad-building, road widening, introduction of thebus rapid transport system, strengthening raillinks, new stations, metro coverage and airportmodernisation.Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), aconsortium of the GMR group, was given the taskof modernising the Indira Gandhi International(IGI) Airport in 2006, and gives passengers a worldclass“international experience” with the additionof new terminals, runways and other passengerconvenience infrastructure. 6 7 In addition, aheliport is also planned to be operational beforethe Games, and is being constructed in Delhi’sRohini area. 8 If airports are an indication of acountry’s economic progress, then India hascertainly arrived on the world stage. Projectingthe new, swanky Terminal 3 (T3) at IGI inauguratedon July 3 rd 2010 as an example of the country’sgrowing prosperity and confidence, the eightlargest passenger terminus in the world with apassenger capacity of 34 million passengers perannum comes at an estimated price tag of Rs1000046

crore. T3 boasts of joining the league of the fewairports which can host commercial operationsof Airbus A380, the world’s largest aircraft.Ecologically unsound, representing a capacity farbeyond Delhi’s needs, political analyst and activistPraful Bidwai asserts that T3 does not representprogress, rather it marks the Indian elitesdependence on false symbols of grandeur.Air India has signed a MoU with the OC, designatingit as the official carrier of the CommonwealthGames 2010. It is considering re-routing andupgrading of aircraft as per the requirementdepending on the size of foreign delegations anddeploying the Air India charter services ratherthan commercial flights to accommodate largecontingents from certain countries or regions. 9British Airways has Delhi and Cape Town, SouthAfrica (hosting the FIFA World Cup) in position 1and 2 of its Top 10 destinations for 2010, 10 addingto the sense of anticipation about inbound tourists.In addition to road-widening projects, 25 newflyovers (though the bid evaluation report claims74, of which it said 41 were to be completed byend 2003) and underpasses are being plannedat an estimated cost of Rs. 1650 crore. Many ofthese projects are the links between venues,and the airport. 12 of the 25 flyovers are alreadyoperational, and about 3,500 low-floor buseswill replace the privately-owned Blue linebuses. (However, many of the new buses havingunexpectedly caught fire has placed a questionmark on their safety). Around 950 low-floor busesare running on city roads now, and Bus RapidTransit (BRT) corridors were designed especiallyfor these buses, giving public transport a boost. 11Rs. 8000 crore worth of metro expansions is setto take place, including a metro line from theairport. 12 The New Delhi Railway Station has alsobeen revamped and air conditioned along the linesof New York Central and is a world class facility. Asimilar station is being built in Anand Vihar to easethe congestion of the New Delhi Station. 13A state-of-the-art, solar powered version of thecycle-rickshaw or the “soleckshaw” a motorisedcycle rickshaw that can be pedalled normally orrun on a 36-volt solar battery, developed by thestate-run Centre for Scientific and IndustrialResearch (CSIR), is being road-tested in Old Delhi’sChandni Chowk area, planned to be used sportingvenues.According to media reports, Delhi Traffic Policeplanned to impose Section 144 of the CriminalProcedure Code on the demarcated areas ondedicated lanes throughout the duration ofthe Games, should they be violated by generalcommuters. 14 To provide dedicated lanes andescorts was one of the promises in the bid. Toeven consider applying a law meant for emergencysituations such as riots and arson to ensure thesmooth passage of officials and athletes is atbest absurd and at worst a contempt of both thespirit of the law and citizens rights, and has beenopposed by civil society groups. 15The Lust for LandLand is a key ingredient to all that’s cooking forthe Commonwealth– the metro, the bus rapidtransit system, the airport, the hotels, the stadia,the Games Village, the shopping malls, the parkinglots, power plants and more. It is obvious that landwould have to be made available to build the worldclass city. The rhetoric is that these developmentsbenefit the city as a whole, and as the distinctionbetween public land and private land begin to blur,the transition is complete when the ‘public’ blursout altogether, and only the ‘private’ remains.Land acquisition has been one of the issues thathas “come in the way” of timely preparations forthe Commonwealth Games. According to the CAGReport, “hindrance-free sites have also been amajor bottleneck, and the issue of land acquisitionneeds to be addressed quickly.” For instance, landacquisition was seen as holding up work for someof the 16 railway- under- bridges being constructedto ease traffic flow 16 and three projects in UPwere at risk of non-completion and therefore to“mitigate the risk of non-transfer of lands, landacquisition provisions were now being resortedto.” 17Other contentious issues were to do with 250residents of Dwarka protesting the takeover of26 acres of open land with two water bodiesbelonging to the Gram Sabha, for the constructionof a DTC Bus Depot in time for the Games, 18 anda hotel developer who bought land that the DDAauctioned only to find it encroached upon by aDelhi Jal Board Office, a gas agency, a taxi standand a number of slum clusters. 1947

An underground parking complex at Siri Fort is alsopart of the construction for the 2010 Games, but itwas later discovered that underground or basementparking is not permitted on the grounds of security,as per CGF rules. Thus, while the parking area isostensibly being constructed for the Games, thelong term plan is to convert it into an undergroundmall or shopping complex- another instance ofland-grab that would not have been achieved, butfor the Games. 20The Games Village is mired in controversy of allkinds. 21 The Village spread over an area of 63.5hectare is at a cost of Rs. 995 crore and willinclude commercial and recreational facilities,hospitals, training shopping and living. 22 The DDAhas incurred a loss of Rs 150 crore in its dealingswith EMAAR MGF Construction; the companycontracted to construct the Games Village andbailed them out by purchasing 333 apartmentsat Rs 766.89 crore, as per the CAG report. 23 AlsoEMAAR-MGF is under the scanner for variousirregularities related to purchase of land by theEnforcement Department.The Games Village and other developments onthe floodplains feed into the vision of the Thamesriverfront model of development for the Yamuna,a rather misguided model given the hydro- geologyand ecological fragility of the area. The locationof the games village has been controversial, andwas challenged through a PIL 24 by concernedenvironmental activists. The PIL was dismissed andthe Games Village was given a go-ahead.It was not as if there were no alternatives. Theabandoned airfield and its surrounding land atthe Safdarjung Airport had been earmarked in theMaster Plan of Delhi for sports, was ideal for theGames Village. DDA’s reluctance to acquire landfrom another government agency is reportedlybehind its decision to not use the SafdarjungAirport as the site for the Games Village. ChiefMinister Sheila Dixit also said that the venue wasa security risk as it was too close to the PrimeMinister’s house. 25 Other possible locations thatwere rejected were Dwarka and Bawana, the latterin an ironic twist is the “resettlement” site forGames and development induced displacementparticularly those from the Yamuna Pushta region.What will become of this “Village” post the Games?The Games Village appears to be heading in thedirection of the Asiad Village constructed for the1982 Asian Games. The ultimate beneficiariesof this ‘games infrastructure’ where a forestonce stood, turned out to be senior officers ofthe government and public sector companieswho occupied 70 per cent of the flats built. InAmita Baviskar’s opinion “that’s land grab, a neatgovernment scam to convert public green spacesinto private property”. 26The Report of Evaluation Commission clearlymentions 27 that the Games Village (supposed to below to midrise apartments) will be handed overto Delhi University to serve as student hostels. Ina case of history repeating itself - the high endluxury apartments are an enviable address andwill sell at prices ranging anything from 2.5 to4 crores per apartment. 28 East Delhi has seen asignificant amount of infrastructural developmentwith the Games Village being located there. It nowhas connectivity to the airport, metro, railwaystations, and flyovers to more central parts ofDelhi as well, which has pushed up property pricesin the area. Real estate watchers report that theapartments within the Games Village are being soldat Rs 12,700 per sq ft but are expected to increaseto Rs 15,500 per sq ft in future. 29In response to a Parliament Question to theMinistry of Urban Development 30 asking the Ministryif ita) intends to incentivise affordable housing,b) the reason why DDA and EMMAR-MGF is sellingmost flats in the Games village at very highprices of one crore: andc) if the Government is likely to intervene toensure the common man is not left out whenthese flats are offered to public.The Minister in his reply on 16 th July 2009committed that DDA housing projects of 65000numbers between 2009-2010 and 2014-2015 areplanned in the HIG, MIG LIG and EWS categories.To incentivise housing the Reserve Bank of India hasannounced a package keeping home loans cheaperthan other bank loans. On the CommonwealthGames, however the ministry (forgetting of coursethe promise to Delhi University altogether) informsthat the project is being executed in the PPP modeand these flats are not part of the general housingscheme. As per the agreement the developer cansell portion of the flats to private buyers after theGames are over. DDA will be offering a portion of48

the flats to the public for which DDA will fix prices.What the Minister also failed to mention is thebailout by DDA of EMAAR-MGF to the tune of over700 crore, which does nuance the idea of PPP innew ways.Implicating Tourism in theWorld Class City ProjectThere is a significant link between the idea oftourism development and beautification ofcites as a cursory examination of most tourismschemes will show. That the beautification of Delhito make it world class and “tourism ready” hasresulted in the heartless eviction of lakhs of peoplefrom the Yamuna banks is a story that meritsnarration in some detail.In March 2003, the 20 Year Tourism PerspectivePlan for the State of Delhi commissioned by theMinistry of Tourism was released. The idea ofthe Yamuna Riverfront recreation project makesits brief appearance here. In the assessmentof consultants who produced the report, J K &Associates, “the development of Yamuna Riverfront for recreation use is a long term plan, as thepollution in the river has to come down (pg 253).In a detailed section on Environmental aspects(pgs 171-187) with specific reference to theYamuna River Corridor, the report points to thelack of a effective inter-state river basin hydropolicyregime resulting in upstream pollutionfrom agricultural pesticides and sub-optimalwater extraction practices. It also refers to highdensity informal housing resulting in untreatedsewage and solid waste, as well as the untreatedindustrial effluents discharged into the river. Thereport then goes on record about the ambitiousand controversial plans of the DDA in the contextof the Yamuna Action Plan. Change in land use fora 260 hectare central trance (sic) to be classifiedfor public use. The report points that public useis a vague definition that seems to offer wideinterpretation since 45 hectare are proposed fora major temple complex and Manhattan style CBDproject has been slated and pending. It concludesthat in essence such proposals without rigorouspublic examination constitute public encroachmentby stealth.”(pgs 182-183).In a later section on “Future Actions for otherinfrastructure sectors” (pgs 257-273), withreference to the Yamuna Riverfront the reportmakes the following recommendations for action:“Review current land development polices relevantto flood control. Ensure zero development /construction in Yamuna flood plain. Implementchanges required and enforce – including anyresettlement required. Tourism Projects in Yamunacorridor to take serious view of this beforeimplementing micro and macro plans” 31 . Exceptfor resettlement (which was done in the form ofevictions and not resettlements) none of theseimportant suggestions in relation to the Yamunariverfront in this Perspective Plan Report wereconsidered.Jagmohan, the (then) Union Minister for Tourismand Culture (2001-2004) was at the forefront 32of evicting people from the Yamuna Pushtasettlement. His motives for such large scaleevictions were the development of the YamunaRiver Front. 33Jagmohan’s eagerness and sense of urgency inJanuary 2004 to lead the evictions of YamunaPustha was the Ministry of Tourism’s project –“Development of Great Green Tourist Complex”in the area lying between Yamuna River Front,national Samadhis and Red Fort, and to implementthis project through the India Tourism DevelopmentCorporation Limited (ITDC).Within a span of two months (Mar-Apr 2004),backed by court orders, 34 an estimated 40,000homes housing 150,000 people in the YamunaPushta settlements were demolished in anunprecedented and inhuman drive to clear thefloodplains; most people were left to fend forthemselves with no arrangements made for theirresettlement. 35 The Pushta population were mostlyfrom Bihar, Bengal and Uttar Pradesh, and about70 per cent were Muslim. 36 In the context of thisreport on the Commonwealth Games, the tragicirony is that most of them came into the city asconstruction labour for the 1982 Asian Games andstayed on to make a living in the big city whenthe Asiad construction task was accomplishedsuccessfully.Nidhi Jamwal, reporter with Down To Earth,also investigated this series of events and theirlegality. “In December 2003 the Union TourismMinister shot off a letter to the Union Minister ofUrban Development about “a big project, which49

synthesises elements of tourism, culture, history,heritage, clean civic life and environment’. Theproject was being held up by delays in clearingjhuggies 37 , the letter stated. Subsequently, at ahigh level meeting on 3 January 2004, the TourismMinister “Drew attention of the participants tothe fact that about 19,000 plots were availablefor resettlement of eligible squatters and yet theorders of Delhi High Court regarding clearance ofYamuna River Front were not being implemented’.At this meeting, “It was unanimously decidedthat, for the first phase, 5,000 plots should beearmarked and clearance and resettlement shouldbegin’. Accordingly, Gautampuri 2 was demolishedon 13 th February 2004”. 38With the onset of the Lok Sabha elections 2004,the model code of conduct for elections came intoforce and the Election Commission in a directive tothe Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) bannedany slum relocation drive in the Capital askingthe civic body to seek case by case permission forremoval of any slum. The MCD sought permissionfor relocation of slums from Yamuna Pushta,Dhapa Colony and two other colonies. The reasonsgiven for the urgency was Union Tourism MinisterJagmohan’s plans to develop the area into atourist spot and a green belt. It is reported thatJagmohan wrote letters and met senior officialsof the Election Commission seeking their approvalto relocate the slum clusters from the banksof Yamuna, as this would delay the ambitiousproject. 39 Permission was granted by the ElectionCommission on 11 th March 2004 and the demolitiondrive resumed with its ruthless efficiency.After a month’s gap, the MCD cleared the rest ofITO-Rajghat Pushta in a fortnight: Gautampuri 1and Koyla plot on 17 March, the slum near PowerHouse on 19 March, Kanchanpuri on 24 March andIndra Colony on 1 April. On 7 April, bulldozers werepressed into service in Vijayghat Pushta and halfthe area was cleared within a week. 40At the Ministry end the story took an interestingtwist. Having got the demolitions and evictions inmotion, in February 2004, pending preparation ofplans/ drawings/ blue prints, detailed estimatesof the work and transfer of land to the projectexecuting agency, the Ministry released an amountof Rs. 500 lakhs to the ITDC as an advance to startthe work. As per the sanction, ITDC was asked tofurnish the land availability certificate within sixweeks from the date of the sanction as the landbelonged to the Central Government. In March2004, ITDC submitted a project proposal to theMoT at an estimated cost of Rs. 787.33 lakh and atthe same time requested the Land & DevelopmentOffice (L&DO) for permission to carry out thesanctioned work. The L&DO, however, intimatedMoT in December 2004 that the land was notavailable for the project as the same had alreadybeen transferred to the DDA for the purpose ofintegrated development of Yamuna River Front. 41In the meanwhile after the NDA lost the 2004general elections, Jagmohan (who was part of theBJP led NDA government) was no longer Ministerof Tourism and Culture, and Renuka Choudharyof the Congress (UPA government) took over thereins in May 2004. The episode of the Ministry ofTourism “losing” the land to the DDA seems to havepoured cold water on their direct plans to developthe river front. The google map indicates theapproximate locations of these sites.The DDA now in possession of the land on bothsides of the Yamuna, has decided to push throughits own version of the river front project. KannanKasturi 42 documents the story of the shifting landuse to make this possible. The 1962 Master Plan ofDelhi sensibly designated the Yamuna floodplainsas a green area reserved for water bodies andagriculture. But government planners and politicalleaders always found this land use too restrictive.With visions of Paris on the Seine and London bythe Thames, they came up with proposals to turnthe stretch of the Yamuna flowing through Delhiinto a canal, restricting its width and opening upthe floodplains for ‘riverfront development’. TheDDA was forced by the weight of expert opinion(Central Water and Power Research Station(CWPRS), Pune between 1988 and 1993, Schoolof Planning and Architecture, New Delhi) to keepthe canalisation plans in limbo. It simply carriedforward its idea in a different way - by changingriver bed use in an ad hoc manner from time totime, and by handing over the floodplains for otheruses piece by piece.Constructions were permitted on the floodplainsthrough ‘notified amendments’ to the land usepermitted in the Master Plan - with amendmentsbeing made sometimes to legalise a land usechange post facto. An amendment permitted theconstruction of the massive Akshardham temple50

Map 2: Google map indicating site of Games Village & Yamuna Pushta evictionson the eastern floodplain of the river in 1999.Another amendment allowed development of aDelhi Metro depot further north of the temple, in2003. In 2006, the land use of the site adjacent tothe Akshardham temple that was earlier markedas ‘recreational’ was changed to ‘residential andcommercial’ and allocated for the CommonwealthGames Village.Even though DDA had plans all along to developtourism along the riverfront, it announced in 2007the freezing of all tourism and riverfront projects(with the exception of the Games Village Project)in lieu of environmental concerns. We suspect thatthis move was simply a stop gap arrangement toappease the flood of protests and legal action byseveral activists and environmental groups.However with the Games Village nearly completed,super luxury apartments built that would be soldat premium prices, the road and rail connectionestablished by the Delhi metro line to ConnaughtPlace & an elevated road over the BarapullahNullah connecting to the Nehru Stadium andSouth Delhi, all that remains now to be done forthe world class city is to “develop” the river, theriver bed and its flood plains into a picturesquepostcard.The Delhi Government’s plans for tourism in 2009-10 include the development of tourism destinationsby taking up the master planning of the entirearea in Yamuna bed up to the Yamuna Pushtain the East. This would entail development ofadditional 1000 acres land. The matter is beingtaken up with DDA. As of May 2010, DDA hasprepared the concept plan which was approved bythe Lieutenant Governor who is giving the projecta push. The plan proposes development of bothbanks of the river, comprising 48km of land fromPalla to Jaitpur within a span of 5 years. 43In another ironic twist to this complex tale, thefirst stretch that will be taken up for developmentis from ISBT to ITO. This was the site from wherethe ‘encroachers’ were evicted and supposedlygiven a new lease of life to live in “dignity”. Thesite will now have a flower garden, nursery, parkingand a playground.The Signature Bridge is a special showpieceproject, mooted some years ago by the DelhiGovernment, that also needs mention in thecontext of the CWG. An 8 lane cable-stayed bridgeacross the Yamuna, on the lines of the LondonBridge, it was originally slated to be ready in timefor the Commonwealth Games, but its completionis now deferred to 2013. The cost of the project,which did not receive a go ahead for over 7 years,has escalated from Rs 460 crore when proposed in2003, to Rs. 640 crore and along with the approachroads will end up at Rs. 1185 crores.51

The Delhi Tourism and Transportation DevelopmentCorporation (DTTDC), which is in charge of theconstruction plans to clean up the stretch ofriver from the Wazirabad barrage to a kilometredownstream to turn the Signature Bridge into atourist destination. “Since tourists will not cometo see the bridge if the river is dirty, we havedecided to clean up this stretch. We plan to placea rubber barrage 1km downstream of the existingbarrage. Just after the flood season, the barragewill be inflated and water will collect betweenthe Wazirabad barrage and the rubber barrage. Intime, this water will clean up naturally. Before thenext floods, the rubber barrage will be deflated,the water let out and the process repeated aftermonsoon”, a tourism official was quoted to say. 44This harebrained scheme to clean up a part ofthe much contested Yamuna for tourists can onlybe understood within the context of the overallirrationality of the “world- class city” project.Greenwash Games“Green” is part of the rhetoric of the worldclasscity and showcasing a green image to therest of the world is a priority for Delhi. Toutedas the first ever “Commonwealth Green Games”,UNEP signed a Memorandum of Understanding(MoU) with the Commonwealth Games for thefirst time in October 2007, though UNEP has had a“Sports and Environment” Programme since 1994.UNEP was involved in similar initiatives for theBeijing Olympics, 2008, and also commissioned anindependent environmental assessment 45 of theBeijing 2008 Olympic Games. UNEP has also signeda similar MoU with the 2010 Vancouver OlympicWinter Games organizing committee. UNEPseems to believe that mega sport events promoteincreased public awareness of the importanceof environmental protection and sustainabledevelopment. Achim Steiner, UN Under-SecretaryGeneral and UNEP Executive Director, said:“Through the Olympic Movement, we can furthersustainable development by holding green Gamesand boosting global interest in the environment.” 46According to its Annual Report, 2007 47 “UNEP andthe Organizing Committee Commonwealth GamesDelhi 2010 will work together to green both the2008 Commonwealth Youth Games in Pune, India,and the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi”.A significant point in the MoU signed with the OCis that UNEP will “visit the venues and participatein an environmental assessment, and will provideexpert advice and support for the developmentof its environmental and sustainability reportsprior to and after the XIX Commonwealth Games2010 Delhi.” In addition, “Delhi and the relevantGovernment agencies have advised that thedevelopment of venues and the Games Village willinclude environmental considerations related tomicro-environment, ecology and other parameterssuch as air, water and noise pollution. Asmentioned the Evaluation Commission report alsosignalled Delhi’s intention to develop the Games inan “environment friendly” manner.The contentious location of the CommonwealthGames Village on the floodplains of the Yamunariver, and its serious ecological ramifications, hasbeen glossed over by the GoI, Delhi DevelopmentAuthority, Ministry of Environment and Forestsand the Supreme Court. How UNEP plans to justifythis particular development having “agreed towork together (with the Organising Committee)to incorporate environmental considerations intothe planning and staging of the XIX CommonwealthGames 2010 Delhi,” would be of interest. Just thisone issue throws the entire green agenda of theGames into question.There are many aspects related to the Games,which cannot be considered “green”. The cuttingdown of trees to make way for various projects,and the concreting of pavements and other openspaces impacting rainwater harvesting and thegroundwater recharge potential of the city are twoof them.Many trees have been sacrificed to thedevelopmental projects that have come to beassociated with the Commonwealth Gamesincluding road widening, new flyovers, and therevamping of stadiums like Jawaharlal Nehrustadium, Talkatora stadium, Delhi University 48 andSiri Fort. In an estimate by the NGO Kalpavriksh,at least three lakh trees have been cut to makeway for construction-related activities, whilearound 35,000 trees were felled to make wayfor the metro. 49 While there are provisions forcompensatory plantations, and six sites have beenallotted by the Forest Department, compensatoryplantations are hardly a solution. In GhumanHera in southwest Delhi — where 15,000 saplingswere planted by the forest department as part ofcompensatory afforestation was later was handedover to the Power Grid Corporation Ltd (PGCL) forthe construction of a power sub-station. 5053

These are monoculture plantations and significantlyaffect the biodiversity that the felled treesrepresented. Moreover the trees provided shade tohuman beings and sheltered birds – all over the city– which a new plot elsewhere does not compensatefor. With the thumb rule that for every tree cut, 10trees have to be planted, 30 lakh trees have to beplanted. Where is the land available for this, onewonders? On some sites, the survival rate is only5-10%. The loss of trees, hedges and undergrowthhave also lead to the disappearance of manyspecies of birds – especially birds that nest in oldtrees such as the hornbill, and the smaller bushand ground-nesting birds. 51 However the GreenGames website proclaims tree plantations as a keyachievement. 52There is also a category of trees that are notactually cut, but are dying a slow death. Underthe zeal for beautification, pavements are beenbuilt violating the July 2000 guidelines issued bythe Ministry for Urban Development and PovertyAlleviation. 53 Prabhakar Rao, a naturalist withKalpavriksh explains that with the advent ofconcrete pavements, top soil, formed by slow,natural processes, is removed to make room forthe asphalt mixture to cover the pavements withconcrete or while, a mixture of stones/ brickpieces and cement is laid, and covered withcement slabs, kota stone slabs, chequered orinterlocking tiles. This seals off the soil, preventsroot aeration and water percolation, thus lateralroots of trees are damaged.” 54 Along with its trees,hedges, and top soil, Delhi has also lost out on itspotential to tap rainwater adding to the massivegroundwater scarcity.Most of the initiatives as part of the “green games”are cleanliness drives and urging good practisesamong citizens of Delhi. The anti-litter campaign,bio-diverse afforestation drive, sustainabletransport, water conservation rally, and an ecocompliantlifestyle, use of solar energy and otherforms of renewable energy in venues and recyclingof plastics and paper. A large part of the greenagenda for the Games is, to send out messages ofenvironmental consciousness through pamphletsand posters at sports venues, accommodationvenues, through audio-visuals during the event,and using the Queens Baton Relay as a largeoutreach platform to communicate green themesand achievements of Delhi 2010 to a largeaudience.Not to be outdone on the climate changebandwagon, plantation drives, solar energy andozone friendly air conditioning systems proposedfor the Games Village are being considered ascarbon mitigation and offset measures. The officialwebsites of the CWG make no commitment onthe carbon neutrality of the games and does notindicate the likely carbon footprint of hostingthe event. The Vancouver Organizing Committeefor the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic WinterGames had announced their intention to make theVancouver 2010 Winter Olympics and Paralympicscarbon neutral. 55In a response dated 29 April, 2010, to an RTI filedby EQUATIONS representative, 56 the OC says thatthe current estimation of the total footprint ofthe Games will be between 130,000 tonnes ofC02e -155,402 tonnes C02e, subject to changebased on emerging data. In activist SoumyaDutta’s analysis, 57 the break-up of figures quotedin the response have not accounted for the hugeembedded emissions (which includes the quantumof steel, power and water used) of Games Villageconstruction, luxury hotel rooms, flyovers, widenedroads, concretised pavements and other structures.In addition, it is not a holistic calculation ofemission as effective emissions from the loss offertile open greens and emission resulting fromthe loss of water recharge capacity from this area,resulting in “importing” that much water from faroff rivers, like the proposed Renuka dam on theGiri river, the Tehri dam and the resultant emissiondue to loss of forest / agricultural lands caused bythe dam have not been accounted for.In response to EQUATIONS RTI application the OCalso indicated that it is planning an extensiveplantation programme pan India and NCR with50,000 saplings, funded by the Global EnvironmentFund of the UNDP and another 50,000 saplings arebeing planted by the Department of Environment(DoE). It believes that this will neutralise theGames emissions of at least 15,000t Co2e per yearupon maturity. The condemnation of carbon offsetprogrammes and of monoculture plantations asnot only not contributing to reduction in climatechange, but actually exacerbating the problemis well known, 58 but UNEP, UNDP, the OC and DoEseem to have decided to ignore this.54

Map 3: Stadium Venues for the CWGSource: Maps of India 61According to newspaper reports, the OC hiredNature First, Green Ecological Managed ServicesPvt. Ltd, to “plan a series of steps to offset andmake Games carbon-neutral” as they are “toyingwith the idea of introducing voluntary carbonoffset programmes”. Nature First has recentlybeen acquired by Tata Consultancy Services 59 andhave been unavailable for comment.Is the world class city necessarily inhuman? TheCommonwealth Games and the expected influxof tourists are a front being used to expediteclearances and build infrastructure. VinayakUppal notes that in the rapidly growing city, withan estimated population of 192 lakhs by 2010as against 140 lakhs in 2001, a growth of nearly40% needs to be factored in. “This means that itwould be inappropriate to place the causation ofall infrastructure and urban development onto theCommonwealth Games. A large amount of it wouldprobably have taken place anyway, the games justgives it a geographical bias and a deadline.” 60City planning should be geared to the needs of thecity and its people, rather than the needs of thecity and its people being addressed as by-productsof the needs of its short term visitors - athletes,tourists and officials of the Games. Eight of theeleven planned venues for various sports events tobe held during the CWG 2010 are located largely onone road itself, mostly along the BRT corridor andaccessible by bus and metro. The Games Villagehowever, is not aligned with these venues. K.T.Ravindran points out “By virtue of the fact that ithas been located in such isolation and across theriver, it has necessitated the building of so manylink roads and flyovers.”Clearly, the benefits accrue more to upper classresidential areas, and posh developments andtransiting tourists, rather than the augmentingfacilities for the slum pockets and other lesserdeveloped areas of Delhi, that have beenscreaming for attention, long before we bid forthe Games. The idea of a world-class city has55

no relevance to the poor, when the world-classinfrastructure is inaccessible, and in fact irrelevantto the lives of those who have to learn to live onRs. 50 to Rs.100 per day.Social activists and urban developers have longargued that the squatter and slum problem is lessa natural outcome of the urban phenomenon ofovercrowding, but a result of the persistent denialof housing rights to the needy, and the ignoring ofintegrated housing policies.Beautification drives move ‘illegal’ slum dwellersout of sight of the view of an urban middle classwho continue to wish them to keep serving as thecheap, ancillary informal economy of the state.However in the imagination of a world class city– they have no space – so the poor are segregatedand distanced – to fend for themselves in a kind ofapartheid city.The COHRE reports on Mega Events and HousingRights observes, “The desire to show off a cityand make it an attractive tourist destination isoften accompanied by a process of sanitisation– clean-ups of public areas facilitated bycriminalisation of homeless ness and increases inpolice powers. Rebuilding a city’s image appears,from the examples of many mega-events, to meanrebuilding a city to make it more attractive for thelocal, national and international elites (middle andhigh income earn ers), and as a result, less liveablefor those who fall outside these categories”. 62In the desire to present a “world-class” city tothe external world, the make-over of Delhi istainted with much more than infrastructure andland deals – it has to answer for purging its poor,exploiting its migrant labour, displacing those whoare inconvenient and incompatible with the idea ofworld class city like beggars, street vendors, slumdwellers and the street and homeless people. Thenext section examines the collateral damage thatis already visible in the run up to the Games and itsimplications for democratic and citizenship rightsas well as basic human rights.56End Notes1. Batra, L. (2008) “Deconstructing the ‘world class’ city”, Seminar; Issue 581 http://www.india-seminar.com/2008/582/582_lalit_batra.htmdata retrieved May 20102. Romana M, “Slums, Shops Make Way for ‘World-Class’ Delhi”, SAWF; 1 st May 2006, http://www.sawf.org/newedit/edit05012006/places.aspdata retrieved July2010.3. Singh, S. S., “We want to make Delhi a world-class city”, Project Monitor; 14 th March 2005, http://www.projectsmonitor.com/detailnews.asp?newsid=8876, data retrieved May 20104. HLRN (2010): Fact Sheet2 The Promise of the 2010 Games: True Claims? False Hopes?5. See Annexure 4: Plans to Augment Amenities and Services6. Sharma, P., “Delhi airport in for a mega makeover soon”, The Hindu; 20 th April 2009, http://www.thehindu.com/2009/04/20/stories/2009042053040400.htm, data retrieved January 20107. Bidwai P,“Terminal Folly” Frontline 20 th July 20108. India’s first seaplane operations to take off in October”, Msn News; 15 th July 2009, http://news.in.msn.com/business/article.aspx?cpdocumentid=3075910,data retrieved January 20109. “Air India to be official carrier of Commonwealth Games”, Live Mint; 6 th October 2009, http://www.livemint.com/2009/10/06195638/Air-India-to-be-official-carri.html, data retrieved January 201010. See http://www.indiaprwire.com/pressrelease/aviation/2009122240056.htm, data retrieved June 201011. “2010 dawns, but Delhi unprepared for Commonwealth Games”, Prokerala; 31 st December 2009, http://www.prokerala.com/news/articles/a104157.html, data retrieved January 201012. See Citizens for Workers, Women and Children Factsheet, http://cwg2010cwc.org/factSheet.php, data retrieved January 201013. Rains, S., “Preparations for Commonwealth Games 2010 in New Delhi”, Rolling Rains Report; 30 th September 2009, http://www.rollingrains.com/2009/09/preparations-for-commonwealth-games-2010-in-new-delhi.html, data retrieved January 201014. Ranjan R., “Police plan to impose Sec 144 on Games restricted lanes”, The Pioneer; 10 th June 2010, http://epaper.dailypioneer.com/THEPIONEER/PIONEER/2010/06/10/ArticleHtmls/10_06_2010_003_047.shtml?Mode=1, data retrieved June 201015. See Annexure 5: EQUATIONS petition opposing plan to impose Section 144 during CWG 201016. “16 railway under-bridges to come up in Delhi before CWG”, DNA; 1 st December 2009, http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_16-railway-under-bridges-to-come-up-in-delhi-before-cwg_1318959, data retrieved January 201017. Comptroller and Auditor General of India (2009) A Report on the Preparedness for the XIX Commonwealth Games, 2010, http://www.cag.gov.in/html/commonwealth.pdf data retrieved January 201018. “No DTC depot here”: Dwarka residents protest land acquisition”, Indian Express; 13 th May 2009, http://www.indianexpress.com/news/no-dtc-depot-here-dwarka-residents-protes/458331/, data retrieved January 201019. “DDA sells encroached land to builder”, Indian Express; 14 th January 2008, http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/dda-sellsencroached-land-to-builder/261142/,data retrieved January 201020. Ritwick Dutta, Environmental Lawyer, in an interview with EQUATIONS on 8 th March 201021. Baviskar, A., “Delhi’s Date with the Common Wealth Games 2010: Common Wealth or Kiss of Death?” Games Monitor, 11 th August 2007,http://www.gamesmonitor.org.uk/node/488, data retrieved January 201022. Uppal, V. (2009)

23. “DDA lost Rs 150 cr on C’wealth Games Village project: CAG”, Hindustan Times; 7 th May 2010 http://www.hindustantimes.com/rssfeed/newdelhi/DDA-lost-Rs-150-cr-on-CWG-Village-project/Article1-540712.aspx, data retrieved May 201024. Rajendra Singh & Others vs. Govt. Of Delhi and Others, PIL under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, (Filing No. 134027/2007)25. Baviskar A, (2007) Delhi’s Date with the Common Wealth Games 2010: Common Wealth or Kiss of Death? http://www.gamesmonitor.org.uk/node/48826. Baviskar A, (2007)27. Commonwealth Games Federation (2003)28. Nevatia S and Ravindran S, “Has the city lost its priorities in the rush for cosmetic nirvana?” Outlook; 12 th April 2010 http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?264893, data retrieved July 201029. Panda, S., “Builders & developers new projects - Akshardham, New Delhi - Commonwealth Games Village”, Real Estate Times; 29 th March2010 http://www.realestatetimes.in/city-profile/builders-developers-new-projects-akshardham-new-delhi-commonwealth-games-village30. Rajya Sabha Q No 1458 on affordable housing MUD responded on 16 th July 200931. Ministry of Tourism (March 2003), 20 year perspective plan for the State of Delhi, New Delhi; tourism.gov.in/pplan/Delhi.pdf, dataretrieved July 201032. This however was not the first time that Jagmohan targeted eviction of the juggi jhopadis from the Yamuna (first as Lt Governor of Delhiand later as Union Minister for Urban Development)33. Gopalakkrishnan, A (2004) A tussle on the Yamuna’s banks, Frontline; Volume 21 - Issue 05, 28 February – 12 March 2004, New Delhi,http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl2105/stories/20040312003304400.htm data retrieved July 201034. Delhi High Court Orders for Clearance was in March 200335. India Shining: A Report on Demolition and Resettlement of Yamuna Pushta Bastis, Peoples Union for Democratic Rights, May 200436. Menon-Sen K and Bhan G (2008) “Swept off the Map: Surviving Eviction and Resettlement in Delhi”, Yoda Press37. Jhuggies, and jhuggi – jhopadi refers to shanties and temporary huts in slum and squatter settlements38. Jamwal N, Beautification drive, Down To Earth; Vol 12, No 24, 15 th May 2004 http://119.82.71.32/full6.asp?foldername=20040515&filename=news&sec_id=4&sid=29, data retrieved July 2010.39. “Shifting of Yamuna Pushta slums approved”, The Hindu; 11 th March 2004, http://www.hindu.com/2004/03/12/stories/2004031211390300.htm data retrieved July 201040. Jamwal N, Beautification drive , Down To Earth; Vol 12, No 24, 15 th May 200441. Comptroller & Auditor General (2007), Report No. 2 of 2007, Chapter XV: Ministry of Tourism www.cag.gov.in/html/reports/civil/2007_2_reg/overview.pdf (data retrieved July 2010). Thereafter, MoT directed the ITDC (December 2004) to refund the advance amount. TheITDC refunded (June 2005) Rs. 469 lakhs after deducting Rs. 31.31 lakh which included expenditure of Rs. 28.94 lakh incurred mainlyon hiring a project consultant and security guards and contingencies and centage charges of the ITDC. The CAG thus noted that theinjudicious sanction and release of funds without ascertaining the availability of land for the proposed project resulted in wastefulexpenditure of Rs. 31.31 lakh42. Kasturi, K, “Commonwealth Games: A run on the Yamuna banks”, India Together; 24 th September 2008, http://www.indiatogether.org/2008/sep/gov-games.htm, data retrieved July 201043. Banerjee, R, “Revitalizing the Yamuna Riverfront”, TNN; 3 rd May 2010 http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOINEW&BaseHref=CAP/2010/05/03&PageLabel=2&EntityId=Ar00200&ViewMode=HTML&GZ=T, dataretrieved July 201044. Dash, D. K., “For showpiece Signature Bridge, 1km stretch of Yamuna to be gift-wrapped”, Times of India; 20 th March 2010, http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/getFiles.asp?Style=OliveXLib:LowLevelEntityToPrint_TOINEW&Type=text/html&Locale=english-skin-custom&Path=CAP/2010/03/20&ID=Ar00401, data retrieved March 201045. Available at http://www.unep.org/publications/UNEP-eBooks/BeijingReport_ebook.pdf46. UNEP partners with Vancouver 2010 on environmental initiatives for the 2010 Winter Games. UNEP News Centre. 29 October, 2007http://www.unep.org/Documents.Multilingual/Default.asp?DocumentID=519&ArticleID=5691&l=en47. See http://www.unep.org/PDF/AnnualReport/2007/4_AnnualReport2007_en_Governance.pdf, data retrieved January 201048. Dastidar, A G., “Greens to confront Delhi govt at sapling planting”, Hindustan Times; 30 October 2009, http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/newdelhi/Greens-to-confront-Delhi-govt-at-sapling-planting/Article1-470707.aspx49. Prabhakar Rao, Naturalist, Kalpavriksh Environmental Action Group, in an interview with EQUATIONS on 5 th March 201050. Bhasin, R. and Lalchandani, N. “Cost of power station: 1,800 trees”, Times of India; 16 th November 2009, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Cost-of-power-station-1800-trees/articleshow/5233620.cms, data retrieved April 201051. Prabhakar Rao, interview52. See http://www.cwgdelhi2010.org/greengames/index.php?q=node/536, data retrieved June 201053. On “environmental damage due to unnecessary and wasteful building exercises undertaken by municipal agencies: Unnecessary andexcessive tiling on roadside pavements’ need to be avoided, the area around trees lined along the road should not be covered with tilingas it hampers the basic necessary functions and needs of the trees, an area of 6 ft x 6ft should be left un-cemented and compactness ofsoil should be avoided at least one metre around the tree”.54. Rao, P., “Is Delhi Dying?”, The Hindu Magazine; 24 th August 2003, http://www.hinduonnet.com/mag/2003/08/24/stories/2003082400130200.htm, data retrieved January 201055. Vancouver 2010 organisers pressing for carbon-neutral status”, 4 th November 2009 http://www.morethanthegames.co.uk/othersports/047041-vancouver-2010-organisers-pressing-carbon-neutral-status,data retrieved January 201056. See Annexure 2: The Right to Information57. Soumya Dutta, Activist, Delhi Platform58. The Corner House http://www.thecornerhouse.org.uk, Carbon Trade Watch http://www.carbontradewatch.org/ are excellent resourcesfor civil society critique on Carbon trading and Offsets. The World Rainforest Movement http://www.wrm.org.uy/ and Sinkswatchhttp://www.sinkswatch.org/ provide additional references on the fallacy of using monoculture plantations as carbon sinks.59. See http://www.naturefirst.in/, data retrieved June 201060. Uppal, V., (2009)61. Maps of India, http://www.mapsofindia.com/2010-commonwealth-games/commonwealth-games-map.html# data retrieved July 201062. COHRE (2007), “Fair Play for Housing Rights: Mega-Events, Olympic Games and Housing Rights”57

Section VCOLLATERAL DAMAGEImpacts Of CWG 201059

In an article titled “What does a beautiful Delhi look like?” Shalini Sharma and Akhil Katyalcomment that “the Delhi Government’s ideal viewer of the city is the figure of the touristwho should have an uninterrupted passage through the city’s streets and sidewalks, malls andmonuments. A city amenable to perfect holidays but not to democratic dissent.” 1Mission Commonwealth Games and showcasing India are already proving to have adverseeconomic, social, cultural, environmental and political impacts, ensuing from the preparationsunder way. This section examines these impacts, the extent to which they have beenacknowledged (let alone mitigated) and explores the place of public participation and publicconsensus in hosting the CWG 2010 in Delhi. 2Economic ImpactsThat the Commonwealth Games will create 2.5million jobs, create an impact of approximatelyUSD 4500 million (that is Rs. 20941.28 crore) forIndia over a period from 2008 to 2012, with over100,000 tourists expected to arrive has beengiven great publicity by the organisers of theCommonwealth Games. 3Historically, with the exception of the Gamesin Los-Angeles in 1984, no similar event hasmade money, and the success of LA has not beenreplicated till date. The debt of $1.5 billion(Rs.6750 crores) towards the Summer Olympicsheld in 1976, in Montreal, was cleared threedecades later, in November 2006 and much ofit was serviced through a special tax levied ontobacco. The debt was to have been paid offearlier, except that the smoking ban introducedin May 2006 slowed down the process. 4 The AsianGames saw little success on the revenue front,as expenditure on the Games was approximatelyRs.7000 to 10,000 million rupees, and revenuethrough ticket sales, donations and franchisingrevenue cost got hardly Rs. 60 million, not enoughto cover even the operational costs of Rs.150million. 5With respect to media and broadcasting rights,while India’s public broadcaster Prasar Bharati isthe Host Broadcaster of CWG 2010 with a Rs. 463crore expenditure, earmarked revenue of only Rs.214 crore has been confirmed through the signingof six international contracts for broadcastingrights, at the time of the CAG report. The updatedinformation we have is as per media reports is thatdeals with BBC in United Kingdom, Network Tenand Foxtel in Australia, South African BroadcastingCorporation, TV New Zealand, Cyprus BroadcastingCorporation, Seychelles Broadcasting Corporation,ABU in Malaysia, Broadcasting Organisation ofNigeria, Namibia Broadcasting Corporation andothers are believed to have generated close to Rs300 crore. 6Employment generation is hailed as an importantboon of the Games, in addition to the economicand infrastructural benefits claimed. One estimateputs it at 5 lakhs for the Commonwealth Games2010 in Delhi 7 while another estimate put it at 2.5million 8 , however the basis of these estimates isunclear. The effects of employment and economicactivity are likely to be transitory, taking intoaccount previously held games. 9The CAG report of 2009 expresses serious doubtsabout the CWG 2010 being revenue-neutral evenin operational terms. It states “As per the latestestimates, the estimated revenue generationof Rs. 1,780 crore would fully defray the totaloperational expenditure of like amount. Theestimated revenue generation which was peggedat Rs 900 crore in August 2007, has nearly doubledin the space of about a year.” Thus, the overridingundertaking given by the Governments of Indiaand Delhi to meet the costs of the Games to beconducted in accordance with the requirements ofthe CGF, and underwrite any operating or capitalbudget shortfall. In short, the tax-payers moneyis being unconditionally pledged in order for thegames to go on. HLRN’s report 10 refers to the clearcaution the Ministry of Finance had advised in 2003against such a “blanket commitment “from theGoI, but such concerns seems to have been brushedaside. The citizens of Delhi are already facing thebrunt of the Games though reduced concessionsand higher taxes imposed by the latest budget.The “economic benefits” that hosting a megaeventproclaims are being found to be anincreasingly grey area, in the limited post-gamesresearch that takes places. Even as the cost of60

hosting the Olympics touched a dizzying $40 billionin Beijing last year—more than the entire grossdomestic product of Sri Lanka—the literature onthe economic effects of such games has grown.Most scholars see only negative economic benefitsto hosting these events. 11 Economic impact studiesof mega-sport events are hard to gauge as theprocedure of establishing the profits and losses hasbeen widely acknowledged to be complicated, andas a result, the methodological issues of computingthe benefits is being hotly debated.According to media reports, a study byPricewaterhouse Coopers suggests theCommonwealth Games 2010 will create businessopportunities worth around $6 billion in India, thehighest ever in the history of the CommonwealthGames. 12 Earlier a 2007 media report referringto ASSOCHAMs predictions said “CommonwealthGames of 2010 are likely to generate more than Rs4500 crore revenue through various promotionaland sponsorship activities for Delhi Government.Resultantly, GDP will be pushed up to Rs 1,75,000crore, up by 49%, from present level of Rs.1,17,000crore according to a report on “ForthcomingCommonwealth Games: Possible revenuegeneration resources for Delhi” brought out byASSOCHAM 13 .” Big claims indeed!That is the backdrop against which the sportsmedia-businessalliance is taking place in India, atthe expense of the common citizen. The OrganisingCommittee led Commonwealth Business Club ofIndia (CBCI), has tied up with the Federation ofIndian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI)and Confederation of Indian Industry 14 (CII) topromote sports, and market India as a businessdestination.The strategy is that CBCI draws “high-powerbusiness delegations from offshore to India duringthe Games and enables them to leverage theunfolding opportunity for transacting businessand enjoying the Commonwealth Games.” 15 Theinvolvement of FICCI will be to line up companiesto sponsor not only the Games but specific events,to ensure that “various sports get financial backingfrom the Indian Industry.” As of now, FICCI isinvolved in sponsoring the volunteer trainingprogramme and the Queens Relay Baton, whereit will be hosting an official dinner in London. 16In another business initiative, CBCI and FICCI,has partnered with Business Club Scotland tobring together apex Indian and Scottish businessorganisations during the run-up to the Games inDelhi so they could explore business and economicopportunities between the two countries. 17The skewed composition of India’s social sectorspending, in comparison to expenditure on theGames is enough to indicate that the Games havecome at the cost of inclusive growth. The HLRNReport in examining some of these figures, not onlyfinds a huge discrepancy between social budgetheadsand Games-budget-heads, it also findsinstances of funds having been diverted for Gamesrelatedexpenditure. 18 Funds from the ScheduledCaste Sub Plan 2009-10 (Special ComponentPlan) were diverted, while Health MinisterKiran Walia’s plan to facilitate best-deal healthinsurance schemes through private agencies andupgradation of existing Centralised Accident andTrauma Services (CATS) ambulance fleet have beenabandoned in Delhi’s 2010-11 Budget according tothe report. The Government is spending more onthe CWG, than on Integrated Child DevelopmentScheme or the Indira Awaas Yojana for the entireyear.In an RTI application filed by EQUATIONSrepresentative seeking information on pre andpost economic impact analysis studies relatedto the games, the OC passed the question ontoother bodies who passed the ball back to the OCscourt. In our verbal discussion with the AppellateAuthority in an appeal process, we were informedthat the Organising Committee has no informationif an economic impact study was done and isbeing planned post Games. Our enquiries with theMYAS also drew a blank as mentioned earlier inthis report. Whether the Games will deliver on itseconomic promises seems to be nobody’s particularconcern.Purging the PoorThe social consequences of staging a mega-eventare many, a large proportion stemming fromthe decision to transform the city into a worldclass one. While transport, hospitality, powersupply, airport modernisation, the metro project,street lighting are being addressed with zeal tocreate the myth of the “world class city”, equallyconcerted efforts are being made to conceal and infact get rid of Delhi’s poor. The Delhi Governmenthas worked out a beautiful charade whereby slumsclusters will be hidden behind a bamboo screen.61

The North-Eastern States, particularly Mizoramand Assam have been approached to help grow andprovide bamboo trees which are above five feet inheight and capable of withstanding the dry climateof Delhi. 19The “preparations” for staging the mega event inDelhi has already set off a range of human rightsviolations - displacement and evictions, impactinglivelihoods of informal sector workers and streetvendors, expanding prostitution rackets, andtargeting particularly the most vulnerable andvoiceless such as street children, the homeless,and beggars. In the fervour to beautify the city,anybody and anything not in line with it, is beingdispensed with.While attributable to the “development path” thatthe city has chosen, the urgency and pace at whichthe CWG necessitates this transformation onlyheightens these impacts.Exploiting Construction WorkersEmployment generation, particularly inconstruction and unskilled labour is certainlyan outcome of hosting a mega event. 20 Much ofthe employment generated however is short term,exploitative, and violates basic rights. Constructionworkers in Games facilities and city infrastructurefind themselves having to deal with non-paymentof legally stipulated minimum wages and overtime,not being issued identity cards and payslips asproof of employment, and the most deplorableworking conditions leaving them vulnerable to becheated of their dues.In 1982, the People’s Union for Democratic Rights(PUDR) had done a fact find ing into the workingconditions of the Asiad workers and its reportwas treated as a PIL by the then Chief Justiceof the Supreme Court. A historic judgment byJustice Bhagwati in September 1982 21 declared“payment of wages less than the minimum wagesis equivalent to forced labour traffic in humanbeings and beggar” 22 as described in Article 23 ofthe Constitution of India. The Supreme Court heldthe central government, the Delhi administrationand the DDA as principal employers responsible forthese violations. The judgement however came toolate for construction workers attached to the AsianGames construction sites to benefit from it, buthas served as a guiding principle.In a re-enactment of this situation decadeslater, as we host the next mega Games, dailywage and contract labour working to meet theCommonwealth Games deadlines of October2010 have not experienced much improvementin their desperate plight for money which leavesthem little capacity to confront their exploitativeemployers. Once again the PUDR report 23highlights their plight. Irregular payment, lack ofproof of employment and amount pending withthe contractor, resulting in a “final settlement”that depends upon the contractor; no weeklyoffs, no, wage slips, women being routinely paidless, are the realities the workers have to face.Security equipment, if at all, has to be borne bythe workers through a deduction in wages. Workersfrom Games sites are being rotated once in twomonths, making it all the more difficult to monitorthe application of labour laws. Complicating issuesis that there are no fixed set of workers, whichmakes unionisation difficult. PUDR was able tocontact a few workers in December 2005 when adeath led workers to hold a demonstration, andalso had access to workers in 2 camps not locatedwithin the boundaries of the Games Village site.Accessing other sites proved very difficult, andPUDR released an indicative report based on theinteraction with workers of the Games Village sitethat they could access.A PIL was submitted in the High Court of Delhiby PUDR, Common Cause and Nirman PanchayatMazdoor Union in early 2010 which resulted in aCommittee being appointed by the High Court toinvestigate the issue. 24 The Committee comprisingof Arundhati Ghose, former representative to theUN, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC)member LN Mishra, the labour commissioner andlabour secretary of Delhi government, decided thatthe petitioners could accompany the Committee oninvestigations.After a month-long investigation the Committee,which filed its report on 17th March 2010, observedthat the charges made in the PIL were “wellfounded”. According to newspaper reports, theCommittee recommended an “exemplary fine”be levied on errant authorities, and commentedthat steps needed to be taken to start timeboundregistration of workers and extendingto them benefits like weekly offs and hygienicliving conditions. The committee said that manyaccidents at these sites were never reported and62

workers continued to work without safety gear. Italso said muster rolls were not verified and thatabuse of migrant workers was common. 25 Thecourt-appointed Committee also found that 43workers had been killed at work sites because ofdangerous conditions and lack of safety gear. 26A quick scrutiny of a sample of ParliamentQuestions on this issue in both houses ofParliament in 2009 and 2010 is both revealing andshocking. Until forced to accept the report ofthe Commission appointed by the High Court, theMinistry of Labour and Employment (MLE) as wellas the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports bothresolutely maintained the position that conditionsof work at Games related sites were acceptable,minimum wages were being paid and that regularinspections ensured that there were no violationsof any workers rights• Rajya Sabha Q No 1483 responded on 26February 2009, MYAS claims workers are gettingall legal dues, only 2 accidents have beenreported.• Rajya Sabha, Q No 704, responded on 25November 2009, MLE says it is not a fact thatworkers engaged in various projects are paidless than minimum wages and labour laws areviolated by contractors. Inspecting Officerskeep a close watch on the payment of minimumwages. If any violation is noticed necessary legalaction is taken under Acts/labour laws.• Rajya Sabha, Q No2252 responded on 9December 2009 by MLE. Was asked if nonpaymentof minimum wages to labourer underthe Minimum Wages Act is as good as bondedlabour. Also asked if the government is awarethat the labourers engaged in construction workfor CWG 2010 are not getting minimum wages.The Minister confidently replied. No Sir, Bondageimplies loss of freedom. It has no connectionwith payment of minimum wages which isensured under the Minimum Wages Act 1948. Hegoes on then to repeat the standard lines aboutit not being a fact that the workers engaged arepaid less than minimum wages etc. Obviouslythe minister has not kept himself informed ofthe historical judgement of the Supreme Courtin 1982.• Rajya Sabha, Q No 236 responded on 24 February2010 MLE about deplorable working conditions,drew a blank again.• Lok Sabha, Q No 1776 responded on 08 March2010 MLE about workers death, violation oflabour laws and any action taken againstcontractors. Minister of State responds – 9deaths in 2008, 11 deaths in 2009, 1 death in2010. No complaints about violation of labourlaws by private contractors were received.Therefore action taken against them does notarise.However by May 2010, after the directives of theHigh Court, the government changed its tack inParliament and its hubris eroded slightly.• In response to Rajya Sabha, Q No 4400 answeredon 5 th May 2010, MLE, when asked aboutexploitation of workers and the details of theCommittee constituted by the Delhi High Courtto look into irregularities. The same Minister forState now acknowledges that “The HonourableHigh Court of Delhi while considering a WritPetition Civil no 524/2010 in PUDR and Twoothers vs Union of India and two others set up aMonitoring Committee on 3 rd February 2010. TheCommittee has submitted its report”. It thenpasses the buck completely by saying “since theCommittee was set up by the Hon’ble High Courtfurther action in the matter will depend on theorder passed by the Hon’ble High Court”.• Again in response to Rajya Sabha Q no 4404 MLEresponded to on the same day viz 5 th May 2010on violation of labour rights at CWG sites, theMinister of State for Labour and Employmentacknowledges that the Committee’s reportwas submitted on 17 th March 2010 pointingout shortcomings relating to non-payment ofminimum wages, lack of health and safety,medical care and housing etc. The Ministerthen goes on to admit that in pursuance of theHigh Court of Delhi’s order a status report onbehalf of Government of India was submittedto the High Court on 15 th April 2010 for furtherdirections. The Government, he said, iscommitted to forestall any abuse of labour,including child labour to protect the image ofthe country.63

This trail of parliament questions and theirresponses is a sorry testimony of impunity by theMinistries concerned. When questions were beingraised for months by Members of Parliament, itseems that the Ministries did not feel accountableto give verified and accurate data to Members ofParliament. When through efforts of civil societyorganisations and the initiative of the High Court,they were caught out, there seems to be noconsequence they have to bear for their misleadingstatements and inaction. Sadly, the Governmentseems to be finally only concerned about the“image of the country” and not about the basichuman rights of its citizens.Displacing the UnsightlyMega events have had a notorious record ondisplacement. According to COHRE “TheOlympic Games have displaced more than 2 millionpeople in the last 20 years, disproportionatelyaffecting minorities such as the homeless, thepoor, Roma and African-Americans. 27 Accordingto COHRE, 300,000 people were evicted till 2007in New Delhi in developments linked to the 2010Commonwealth Games.A significant portion of the evictions were from thebanks of the Yamuna, the north east of Delhi - anarea that is central to the “developments” linkedto the Games – whether it is the location of stadia,the construction or upgradation of many link roadsand flyovers or the Games Village – and thereforecritical also to the idea of beautification and aworld class city. What became critical thereforeis that this same area had to be cleared of itsgreatest liability - the millions of migrants andpoor who settled in informal illegal settlements toeke a living in the big city.The government derives sanction for thedemolition and evictions from a High Court orderdated 3 rd March 2003 to “Forthwith remove allunauthorised structures, jhuggies, places ofworship and or any other structure un-authorisedlyput up in the Yamuna bed and its embankment,within two months”. Though ‘all’ encroachmentshad to be removed, the government only targetedthe jhuggies. Buildings owned by religious, private,government and non-government organisationswhich are equally if not more illegal remainuntouched – the Metro Railways Depot with apolice station and mall, the Akshardham Temple,and the adjoining Commonwealth Games Village.Besides taking up more riverbed area than theslums, they draw more groundwater from theYamuna floodplains.Documenting the brutality with which they wereevicted, Kalyani Menon-Sen and Gautam Bhanextensively chronicle the politics of relocation toBawana and the harrowing experiences of thoseselectively and supposedly “rehabilitated” intheir book “Swept off the Map: Surviving Evictionand Resettlement in Delhi.” 28 Nidhi Jamwal alsocontinued her investigations and documents theevictions story. 29 The mainstream media by andlarge maintained a deafening silence on this largescale violation of human rights in the Capital city. 30HLRNs report has documented the slum demolitionsand evictions directly attributable to the Games 31between 2004 and 2010.They also chronicle the“reasons” for these evictions and link them tospecific development projects linked to the CWG2010. 32 What runs through all these cases is thefact that the Government washed its hands of anyresponsibility for resettlement or compensation ofany kind.Operation Cleanse: Rounding-Up Beggars,Dispensing with the Homeless, Hiding StreetChildrenBeggars are eyesores that don’t belong to the“world-class city” another inconvenience thatthe city administration has found the need to dealwith in the run up to the Games.The Bombay Prevention of Begging Act (BPBA),1959 which was extended to Delhi in 1960 is beinginvoked with great vigour to tackle Delhi’s 60,000beggars. Strategically placing themselves at trafficsignals, temples and so on, they are tracked downand dealt with by mobile courts consisting of aretired judge, a policeman, and an official fromthe department of social welfare along with 12round-up vans that have been organised. Treatedlike criminals, offenders can be arrested and takenbefore the beggars’ court before being confined inone of 12 beggars’ homes, which are more like jailsthan homeless hostels. 33In March 2010 the Delhi Government informed theHigh Court that it had written letters to 10 states,including U.P, Bihar and West Bengal, asking the64

states to take back their beggars from Delhi, 34 amove that legal researcher Usha Ramanathan 35says is “completely unconstitutional”. In addition,locations for six “holding areas” for beggars in theoutskirts of Delhi have been identified for beggarsto be detained and provided for during the periodof the Games. 36 A PIL has been filed by socialactivist and former civil servant, Harsh Manderseeking that begging be decriminalised. HarshMander’s PIL also focuses on the police arrestingelderly and sick people on charges of begging,thanks to which the poor and homeless live in astate of fear. 37The renewed zest with which mobile courts havebeen set up and the BPBA 1959, a draconian lawon several counts, is being implemented cannotbe fully comprehended without contextualisingit within the history of beggary and the law inIndia. Usha Ramanathan in her essay 38 “OstensiblePoverty, Beggary and the Law”, explains “TheBPBA, 1959 has been heavily criticised forencouraging the equation of poverty withcriminality, where “the class of persons who maybe the intended subjects of a law that deals withthis phenomenon of ostensible poverty have beenidentified as “status offenders”, that is, theyoffend by being who they are, and not by doingwhat they do.”In response to a PIL filed by Anjula Sen in 1990challenging the constitutionality of the BPBA1959, the court concluded that arrests are madeof people in dirty clothes, wandering, but notactually begging; large number of wrong arrestsare made, which is inhuman and unjust; and thatthere is no criteria to distinguish a beggar fromone who is sick, physically handicapped or in needof economic help. A committee set up to reviewissues related to emerging law and practise of theAct, and suggesting a method of implementationor amendments that would help the Act achieve itsobjective.Disregarding all this, as we go to press, the DelhiPolice have begun removing beggars and makingDelhi Beggar Free – because Chief Minister Dixitwants it so before the CWG. The target is to“process” 2500 to 3000 beggars. That is a strangeterm used in the media report because one couldbe mislead into thinking beggars are not human39 40beings.65

Homelessness is another inconvenient truth inIndia and Delhi, not lending itself to the idea ofa world-class city. On December 22, 2009 in theheight of the Delhi winter, the MCD demolisheda temporary night shelter on Pusa Road, whichhad been set up by the Department of Revenue,Government of the National Capital Territory ofDelhi (GNCTD). 41 In a suo moto action, (then) ChiefJustice A.P Shah of the Delhi High Court pulled upthe MCD for a move which was squarely identifiedwith the Commonwealth Games, and ordered foran immediate restoration of the shelter at thesame site. Commenting on the MCDs impetus forbringing the structure down, Justice Shah wasquoted to have said that ‘Commonwealth Games isafter 10 months, and for the city’s beautificationyou will throw out people in chilling winter likethis?” 42 The bench has also been quoted to say“Have you thought of the suffering of people whosuffered due to the demolition? Winter is severe inthe city and you give an explanation for demolitionon the ground of beautification and CommonwealthGames. Show us the order under which it wasdemolished”. 43Another target is street vendors in Delhi, estimatedto be about 3 lakh in number, contributing Rs.3500crore to the city economy. In fact they are thebasis of the economy for the poor and lowermiddle class section of the society. Clearancedrives have picked up in preparation for theCommonwealth Games for Delhi to fit into theimage of the world class city. 44 In a more recentdevelopment however, the Municipal Corporationof Delhi has decided to give out licenses to 14,000street vendors from the 1,31,000 applicationsit received. 45 The National Association of StreetVendors of India (NASVI) (and later the NationalHawkers Federation) staged protests at theMCD headquarters in New Delhi on June 1, 2010accusing it of dilly-dallying in formulating andimplementing a proper policy for urban streethawkers. They had also alleged “arbitrary” evictionof vendors before the Games. A representativefrom NASVI has been quoted to say that ratherthan making the Games an excuse to “chase away”the vendors, MCD should make them participants inthe process to make the Games a success. 46Children at riskWhile there has been no official word, itis expected that street children will bedissuaded from locating themselves in South andEast Delhi, where much of the CommonwealthGames action will take place. Mr. Sanjay Guptaof Chetna, an NGO working with street childrenin Delhi feels that there is a possibility that manychildren will work in B&B establishments, andsmall hotels, trafficking will increase and that theincidence of run-away children attracted to thecity by the Games may increase. In a recent seriesof meetings of child rights groups under the bannerof Bal Adhikaar Abhiyaan India, in connection withthe CWG, members were concerned at reportsalready emerging of street and homeless childrenbeing taken in trucks and dumped on the bordersto get rid of them. The other alternative of pushingchildren into already overcrowded and abusivejuvenile homes is no alternative they pointedout. That there were almost no government ordepartmental mechanisms for child protection inplace was noted with concern.The Ministry of Tourism, under pressure from civilsociety organisations for many years has wokenup to the fact that child sex abuse in tourism isindeed a reality in India. What has been moredifficult for them to internalise is that this realityhas as much to do with domestic tourists as ithas to do with foreign paedophiles. It has chosenhowever to link efforts to work on the issue to theCommonwealth Games. An effort is spearheaded bytourism industry association PATA (India), UNODCand Save the Children (India) to bring out a Codeof Conduct on Safe and Honourable Tourism, whichis applicable to the industry players who signon. 4748 While this is an important step coming after19 years of advocacy on the issue in the country,the Union Ministry has still not taken the decisivemove to declare the country a zero-tolerance zonefor child abuse in tourism, a step that tourismdependent developing countries like Sri Lanka,Kenya, Costa Rica and more recently South Africahave taken. 49 Thus the Ministry at the Centre andDepartments in States continue to shy away fromthe decisive steps, mechanisms and legislation thatonly they can put in place to directly protect ourchildren from sexual abuse and trafficking linkedto tourism, and have for the moment, settled on aCSR like measure linked to the CWG 2010.When zero tolerance is so easily declared againstbeggars, the Government drags its feet to protectits children through declaring zero-tolerance andtaking active measures against perpetrators ofchild sexual abuse in tourism.66

Increase in Sex WorkNewspaper reports indicate the growingpossibility of increased demand for prostituteswith the onset of the games and arrival of a largenumber of tourists. The link between mega eventsand increased prostitution has been established in50 51earlier games.Sex workers are learning English, while GB Road,Delhi’s red light district is also “sprucing up itsact in anticipation of big business from tourists”. 52NGOs are involved in conducting medical tests,including tests to identify those who are HIVpositive and providing counselling. 53 One lakhcondoms will be ready to be given out to athletesand officials who ask for it during the Games at theVillage clinic and probably at the reception as well.That apart, the National AIDS Control Organisation(NACO) will install condom-vending machines atthe stadia and other public areas. 54 Media reportsrefer to increased activity by escort services 55 tomeet the demand “While precise numbers cannotbe ascertained, the shortfall in the number ofwomen available in New Delhi is approximately 50per cent, of which 25 per cent will be met by thecities named above. The other 25 per cent willbe sourced from Punjab and Haryana, HimachalPradesh and the North East. The one-lakh figureincludes sportspersons, officials and visitors to thegames.”In the absence of a move either to decriminaliseor legalise prostitution, sex workers continue tobe regarded as a problem of law and order. Theyare have not been given access to either healthservices, or security, and continue to be subjectto harassment and brutality from the police aswell as from pimps and clients. The Supreme Courtsuggested legalising prostitution in India 56 a movewelcomed by sections of sex workers who see it asa form of empowerment, or at least a protection oftheir rights. One cannot connect this directly withthe CWG but the timing is of interest. South Africaalso debated legalising prostitution ahead of theFIFA World Cup to contain the spread of HIV-Aids. 57Transforming CultureIt seems that the “success” of Games partiallyrests on putting up spectacular opening andclosing ceremonies, showcasing the country’sabilities to tie together culture and heritage andtradition along with technology that contributes tocreating a slick and visually impressive productioneven though it has little to do with sport per se.However the trend to equate (or rather reduce)Indian culture to Bollywood is regrettable!“See you in Delhi” was the message splashedduring the closing ceremony of the MelbourneGames 2006 in a 11-minute show that reportedlycost Rs. 40 crore, featuring Bollywood artistsincluding superstars Aishwarya Rai and Saif AliKhan. 58 The Opening and Closing Ceremonies of theCommonwealth Game 2010 has a budget of Rs.84crore, and Wizcraft International Entertainmentwill be event managers for both ceremonies, to beheld in Delhi”s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. A mediasource put this figure at Rs 400 crores. 59 The IOAhas also invited up to 17 celebrities who have aconnection with sport on the field or through filmsto promote the event free of cost. SportspersonsLeander Paes, Mahesh Bhupati, Milkha Singh,Vishwanath Anand, Prakash Padukone andBollywood favourites Shahrukh Khan, Preity Zintaand Aamir Khan, Deepika Padukone Nana Patekar,and A.R Rehman are among those who have beeninvited to make the Games a “star-studded”event. 60Efforts to sensitise citizens of Delhi into behavinglike they belong to a “world-class city” arealso underway. Citizen Dentsu, a Mumbai basedsocial communications group has launched acampaign on behalf of the Delhi Government onan experimental basis and will be intensifying thecampaign in 2010 in the run-up to the Games. Amascot in the form of “Dilli ki Ladli” attempts toinspire civic awareness in the citizens of Delhi. 61Similarly, the Incredible India “Athithi Devo Bhava”campaign was launched by the Ministry of Tourismfeaturing actor director and producer Aamir Khan,who exhorts citizens not to misbehave or cheatforeign tourists and not to deface places of touristinterest. 62 The Delhi Tourism Department is alsobringing out a book of good manners called “DelhiCelebrates” Rina Ray, Managing Director of DelhiTourism explains “We want to tell them don’turinate in public, don’t spit, keep your houses andshops clean, keep public transport safe and suchthings… This will tell every Delhiite that instead ofbeing on the sidelines as a spectator, he or she cancontribute to a better Games.” 63Another area receiving attention by the DelhiGovernment in the run up to the Games iswomen’s’ safety, especially in the run up to the67

Games, with the focus being the safety of foreignwomen tourists. Delhi’s Department for Womenand Child Welfare launched a series of awarenessprogrammes and workshops in Delhi to sensitisepeople on women’s safety, which included workingwith the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC), DelhiPolice, Department of Education, and MarketAssociations. A working committee on women’ssafety has also been formed. 64 That the impetusto run such basic campaigns and awareness drivesbecomes the Commonwealth Games is ratherdisappointing.The paranoia about citizens of Delhi not livingup to the image of the “world class city” isdefinitely immense, judging by the exhortationsand campaigns launched to change behaviour andpublic practices. Home Minister P. Chidambaramhas been quoted saying “We should seize theopportunity of the Commonwealth Games tochange our behavioural pattern. We must behaveas (residents of) an international city”. 65 Earlier,Chidambaram had criticised Delhiites for beingrude, loud and discourteous. Chief Minister SheilaDixit, at the Delhi Tourism Conclave announced“We want tourists to go back with the impressionthat Delhi is a sophisticated city.” At the sameplatform, Ray much like an anxious mother beforethe house guests arrive, said: “We don’t wantto start (the campaign) too early lest it fizzlesout.” 66 As long as the delinquent citizens of Delhiadopt behavioural changes for the duration ofthe Games, it will probably go back to being noparticular concern to the admonishing bodies postthe Games!Democratic Deficit and Public ParticipationPublic participation, accountability anddemocratic processes are perhaps mostsignificant casualties in the organising of megasports events. The International OlympicsAssociation has the dubious distinction of beinglisted in the Global Accountability Report 2008(One World Trust) listing the world’s mostpowerful corporate, intergovernmental andnon-governmental organisations that are notanswerable to the people they affect. TheInternational Olympics Committee (IOC) receivedthe lowest overall score in the report with32% accountability against its accountabilityindicators. 67According to Horne and Manzenreiter, “Sportsmega-events have been largely developed byundemocratic organizations, often with anarchicdecision-making and a lack of transparency,and more often in the interests of global flowsrather than local communities. In this respectthey represent a shift of public funds to privateinterests. Such organizations represent part of theideological assault on citizenship that has occurredsince the 1980s, which prefer global consumers tolocal publics. 68Given that the official stakeholders of theCommonwealth Games 2010 identified in theHost City Contract are the Commonwealth GamesFederation, Indian Olympics Association, OrganisingCommittee, Government of the National CapitalTerritory of Delhi, and the Government of India theordinary residents, citizens, and project-affectedpeople are simply not considered stakeholders atall!The Commonwealth Games Organising Committeehas resisted attempts at disclosing informationand thereby being publically accountable for itsactions. A recent attempt by the MYAS to reignin the tenure of office bearers of sports bodieswas met with stiff resistance from the IOA,demonstrating the sorry state of affairs in ourcountry. 69With no official channels for public consultationand wider public consent on the implicationsof bringing the Games to Delhi, citizens havehad to voice their concerns through making RTIapplications and petitions, staging demonstrations,forming groups and coalitions, organising publiccampaigns and writing to various officials on theirconcerns about certain developments. When allfails, litigation is the long and weary road uponwhich they are forced to embark.RTI Merry Go Round –Foiling the Citizen’s Right to InformationConcerned citizens monitoring developmentsin relation to the Commonwealth Games arecontinuing to battle with tenacity and courage toclaim their right to information and to demandaccountability from key bodies. In spite of adirective, the IOA and the OC managed to duck thisobligation for over four years and only recentlyhave finally been obligated by a High Court Order.68

The Central Information Commission (CIC) inNovember 2006 held that the Indian OlympicAssociation (IOA) was a public authority underthe RTI Act 2005 and directed it to provide theparticulars of expenses incurred by it on tours inconnection with the Commonwealth Games toan RTI applicant. The Organising Committee, nottaking kindly to this turn of events challenged theCIC in the Delhi High Court, where it also arguedthat if it was brought under the RTI Act, work willget unnecessarily stuck in responding to queries,proving a setback to the preparation of thegames. Dismissing the appeals of the OC and theIOA against the CIC order to provide information,Justice Ravinder Bhatt of the Delhi High Courtruled that both are public authorities under the RTIAct 2005, have to provide information and cannotkeep their accounts private. 70 Following the rulingon 7 th January 2010 and a push once again fromthe MYAS, 71 the OC finally set up an RTI cell on 15 thMarch 2010.Though the Sports Ministry was instrumental inopening up the IOA and OC to the RTI Act, theMinistry itself has been found to evade publicdisclosure of information. An RTI application soughtinformation on expenditure incurred on Gamesrelatedforeign visits of its officials abroad forwhich the central government had almost doubledthe budget. The rejection of the applicationbrought to light that the information requestedwas not available, and neither were records ofGames related meetings available. 72 EQUATIONShas also faced a similar issue, where an RTI requestmade to the OC, on 13 th April 2010 was transferredto 12 different authorities without indicatingwhich part of the RTI was applicable to whom.Many offices 73 replied identifying the OC as theappropriate authority to answer the questions,during which process more than 37 days elapsed,leading us to suspect that the OC is either evadingor delaying the release of the information. 74On filing an appeal we were summoned by theAppellate Authority of the OC to Delhi to personallypresent our case and the Appellate Authority’sspeaking orders are awaited. “We are only acoordinating agency” the OC claimed. Discussionswith the IOA 75 official to whom the RTI was alsoforwarded indicated that the IOA’s view was thatit concerned itself only with the contingent ofathletes and it was the Organising Committeethat needed to answer all questions related to theGames.Similar experiences are chronicled by PUDR in theirreport of April 2009 on violation of workers’ rights,by HLRN, and other organisations as well.Battling Public InterestApart from several other forms of peoplesprotests, there have been at least three PILsfiled by citizens and groups on various aspects ofthe games – with regard violations of constructionworkers rights, wiping beggars off Delhi’s streetsand compromising the Yamuna riverbed by allowinga Games Village in the area that people wereevicted in order to “protect” the river.The Siri Fort upgradation that has been on for 18months to make the facilities Olympic standardhas been severely criticised by members who usethe facilities Residents of the area strongly protesttrees being cut to make way for the badmintonand squash courts, deeming the entire exercise“a waste of public money”. According to architectGautam Bhatia, “Initially it was about savingthe trees and the area’s heritage sites. Now it isimperative to also highlight that good sense needsto be employed while planning these projects.As per media reports, the Supreme Court clearedthe constructions on the greenbelt contendingthat much time had been lost, that the damagealready caused to the environment could not beundone now, and ordered the authorities to seekapproval of a court-appointed Central EmpoweredCommittee (CEC) before chopping down any moretrees.This diluted verdict was despite the fact that thethree member Supreme Court Bench had appointedeminent architect and town planner Charles Correato review the project. Correa criticised the DDA forignoring all norms while giving the project a goahead,and wondered why the DDA had chosen thegreen belt area of the Siri Fort auditorium for thecourts and the parking area. The report had said 10hectares of forest land had been encroached uponand that there had been indiscriminate uprootingof trees “The site selection was not proper and thedesign far from satisfactory.” His recommendationwas that the structures be relocated, and the76 77original forest restored.In the case of the Games Village being set up onthe floodplains of the Yamuna, two Writ Petitionsin the High Court 78 were submitted in the year2007, one by Vinod Jain from Tapas, and the other69

had four petitioners - Rajendra Singh, MagsaysayAward Winner, and ‘Water Man’ of India; ManojMisra, former IFS Officer and currently Convenorof the Yamuna Jiye Abhiyaan; INTACH, a nonprofitorganisation set up to protect and conserveIndia’s vast natural and cultural heritage; andSanjay Kaul, a leading civil rights activist. ThePILs highlight the area as having prime ecologicalimportance to the city as it is instrumental inrecharging the groundwater aquifers of the cityand managing/controlling flood. Indian riversare fed by the monsoons and have a tendency toflood, making it integral that both the river andfloodplain be protected. As the Yamuna floodsonce every 4-5 years, in addition to which climatechangemay induce unforeseen flooding, withthe reigning in of the river with “development”there is now no room for floodplains to absorbor contain the excess water, thereby inundatingthe city. 79 Yamuna Satyagrahas have taken place,and appeals have been sent by groups such as theYamuna Jiye Abiyan highlighting many of the issueswith locating the Games Village on the floodplain,including its propensity for seismic activity. 80The PIL 81 submitted by Rajendra Singh and otherswas based on three main contentions:• The first contention was that the area is anecologically fragile and the clearance forconstruction violates the Public Trust Doctrinewhich places a duty on the State to holdenvironmental resources in trust for the benefitof the public. The PIL also elaborates uponthe ecological importance of the river throughrecharging of groundwater benefitting the cityof Delhi in particular, and that the “Yamunaflood plain area” is a “notified area”, declaredby the Central Ground Water Authority underthe Environment Protection Act, 1986, and thata committee has been set up to by the MoEF toformulate a Draft River Regulation Zone alongthe lines of the Coastal Regulation Zone, as laidout in the 10th Five Year Plan document.• The second contention was that the constructionon the floodplains of the river Yamuna is aviolation of a previous High Court Judgementthat cleared encroachments and displaced manyin order to protect the river from pollutioncaused by encroachers. The petition thereforeponders upon how various constructions on theYamuna riverbed is justified after the area wascleared, supposedly to get “encroachers” outof the way in order to “make Yamuna free fromencroachments and pollution of all kinds”, onlyto ultimately hand it over to the more privilegedand elite sections of society.• The third contention was that the environmentclearance letter from the Ministry ofEnvironment and Forests for the Games Villagewas modified to allow permanent constructionson the riverbed without the approval of theExpert Appraisal Committee (EAC), thusdisregarding the procedure laid down in theEnvironment Impact Assessment Notification,2006.The two writ petitions finally ended up in theSupreme Court through Special Leave Petitions,and a common judgment was issued. Among thefinal conclusions based on which the judgmentcleared the construction was that, “In view ofnotification in the Gazette of the Government ofIndia dated 21 st September 1999 relating to changeof land use and to the fact that the site in questionfor the construction of Games Village had beenchosen and widely published way back in the year2003 itself, the writ petitions which were filedbefore the High Court of Delhi only in the year2007, in the absence of proper explanation, theHigh Court ought not to have probed the matterat this juncture.” and also that “On a conjointreading of NEERI reports 1999, 2005 and January,2008 coupled with its assertion in the form of anaffidavit dated 29 th January 2008 clearly show thatthe Games Village site is not either on a “riverbed”or on the “floodplain” of the Yamuna river.”Ritwick Dutta explains that the land wasconsidered an “agricultural water body” and theland use of the area changed in 1999 to “public”and “semi-public” use. The Court’s contentionwas that the petitioners should have opposed thechange in land-use at that point in time or in 2003.However, the contention of the petitioners is thatthe grounds to challenge the construction in courtcame only with the issuance of modified versionof the environmental clearance letter in April2007, while the PIL was filed in September 2007. Inaddition, the PIL was filed before any constructionwork had started, and there was enough time tofind an alternative site to start construction, butthe final order from the Supreme Court came onlyin November 2008, by which time a significantamount of construction had taken place.70

There is no doubt that the construction of theAkshardham temple in 2000-2001 alongside theriver gave precedence for the construction of theGames Village and other developments includingthe Delhi Metro Depot and the Metro Mall.However, the then reigning Environment ImpactAssessment Notification 1994 did not includeconstruction projects and the EIA process did notapply to the Akshardham temple. The constructionof the Akshardham temple was directly challengedin the Supreme Court by the U.P EmployeesFederation, but the case was lost. 82The judgement permitting the constructionof the Games Village seems to be a way theSupreme Court has evaded being held responsibleif the Commonwealth Games did not make itto Delhi in 2010. A review petition against theJudgement of the SC has been filed by the originalpetitioners in the case, which among other things,stresses the fact that expert-opinion was in factagainst the siting of the project at its presentlocation, and that the expert opinion of the EACconstituted to evaluate the merits of the projectfor environmental clearance was bypassed insubsequent modifications to the clearance letter.While there is no compulsion on the part of theSupreme Court to respond to the review petition,it does put on record that the battle goes on.Ducking the EIA ProcessAnother attempt to bypass democratic processand public consultation was the request bythe Delhi Government to exempt all constructionsrelated to the Commonwealth Games from havingto procure the Environmental Impact Assessment(EIA) certificate, and by extension the entire EIAprocess, on the grounds that it would cause delaysin meeting infrastructure deadlines. If exemptionsare not possible, the MoEF was requested to“rationalise guidelines” as a special case. 83 Dr.Bharat Bhushan, 84 Director (Scientific), MoEFconfirms that CWG projects were prioritised,but claimed that no concessions were made withrespect to exemptions from procedure. Howeverthe sequence of events as known to us indicatesotherwise. The PIL filed by Rajendra Singh & Othersvs. Govt. Of Delhi and Others, Constitution FilingNo. 134027/2007 gives a detailed documentation 85of the process by which the EnvironmentalClearance letter for the Commonwealth GamesVillage issued by the MoEF was modified to allowpermanent constructions on the riverbed withoutthe approval of the Expert Appraisal Committee,thus disregarding the procedure laid down in theEnvironment Impact Assessment Notification,1994/2006.The manner in which the DDA has applied pressurevia what the PIL calls an “ultimatum” and themanner in which the MoEF has succumbed indeedmakes a complete mockery of the EIA process ofthe MoEF, as the PIL remarks. Also highlighted inthe EAC meetings is that the Safdarjung Airportwas proposed by the EAC as an alternative site forconsideration, but was dismissed by the DDA onthe grounds that the land was not with the DDAand did not examine any other location for theCommonwealth Games Village.Moving from the specific documentation of thePIL, considering that the MoEF granted clearanceto the Games Villages under the provisions EIA1994 (amended up to 2004) public hearings area mandatory requirement for environmentalclearance. Since there seems to be no evidencethat public hearings were actually conducted, aviolation of the provisions of 1994 notification (andits amendments) is indicated. It also contradictsthe claims of the MOEF that no ‘concessions weremade with respect to procedure of EIA notificationfor CWG. The environment clearance lettersfor CWG village issued by the MoEF still remainunavailable to the public on the website of theMoEF.Several questions have been raised in both housesof the Parliament on the issue of environmentclearances for the Games Village. The answerof the Ministry of Urban Development and theMinistry of Youth Affairs and Sports has been ratherconsistent and in the vein of “yes there have beensome objections by environmentalists, but properclearances have been given”.That the MoEF weakened its stand, and corruptedits own laws and procedures to allow forpermanent instead of the original temporarystructures to come up in the Games Village is amatter of grave concern. That this was the courseof events despite alternative sites being availableand in the face of vociferous public opposition onecological and environmental grounds indicates itsdisregard for both public concerns and ecologicalconcerns as well.71

End Notes1. Katyal A & Sharma S, “What Does A Beautiful Delhi Look Like?” Countercurrents; 22nd March 2010, http://www.countercurrents.org/katyal220310.htm data retrieved July 20102. See Annexure 6: For a case on similar impacts anticipated with FIFA World Cup 20103. “Commonwealth Games to have $4500 million impact: Kalmadi”, The Sports Campus; 28 th November 2009 http://www.thesportscampus.com/200911282877/news-bytes/cwg-economic-impact, data retrieved January 2010.4. News “Quebec’s Big Owe stadium debt is over”, CBC News; 19 th December 2006, http://www.cbc.ca/canada/montreal/story/2006/12/19/qc-olympicstadium.html, data retrieved March 2010.5. Uppal, V., (2009)6. “Where are the sponsors?: CWG OC Struggling To Raise Rs 1,600 Crore To Repay Loan”, Times of India; 2 nd June 2010, data retrieved June20107. 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Bhattacharya, S., “All aboard the ladies special”, Infochange News & Features; July 2009 http://infochangeindia.org/200907077819/Women/Features/All-aboard-the-ladies-special.html, data retrieved January 201065. “Delhites should learn to behave: Chidambaram”, 22 nd September 2009, http://news.oneindia.in/2009/09/22/delhites-should-learn-tobehave-chidambaram.html,data retrieved January 201066. Dastidar, A. G., “Delhi, smarten up before Games: CM”, Hindustan Times; 19 th March 2010, http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/newdelhi/Delhi-smarten-up-before-Games-CM/Article1-520726.aspx, data retrieved March 201067. Slavin M., “IOC among the world’s least accountable organisations”, 17 th May 2009 http://www.gamesmonitor.org.uk/node/820, dataretrieved January 201068. Horne, J. and Manzenreiter, W. (2006) “An introduction to the sociology of sports mega-events”, Sociological Review, Vol. 54, Issue. S2,December http://kenkyuu.jpn.univie.ac.at/fileadmin/STAFF_DIRECTORY/Manzenreiter/SME_Horne_Manzenreiter.pdf, data retrievedJanuary 201069. “IOA rejects tenure regulations, Kalmadi called ‘dictator’”, India Today; 18 th May 2010, http://www.indiatoday.intoday.in/site/Story/97915/SPORTS/IOA+rejects+tenure+regulations,+Kalmadi+called+’dictator’.html, data retrieved June 201070. “RTI applies to Commonwealth Games Organising Committee”, Hindustan Times; 7 th January 2010, http://www.hindustantimes.com/RTIapplies-to-Commonwealth-Games-HC/Article1-494930.aspx,data retrieved June 201071. “Sports ministry asks IOA, CGOC to fulfil RTI obligations”, IANS; 2 nd February 2010 http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/sports/sportsministry-asks-ioa-cgoc-to-fulfil-rti-obligations_100313603.htm,data retrieved in June 201072. “No data on officials’ foreign visits for CWG: Sports Ministry”, Times of India; 13 th December 2009, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.73

74com/sports/events-tournaments/commonwealth-games-2010/No-data-on-officials-foreign-visits-for-CWG-Sports-Ministry-/articleshow/5332478.cms, data retrieved January 201073. The list of offices identifying the OC as the appropriate authority for the information sought are the Central Public Works Department(letter dated 26 th January 2010), University of Delhi (letter dated 18 th May 2010), Engineering Department, University of Delhi (letterdated 13 th May 2010) and the Urban Development Department (letter dated 29 th April 2010, which redirects the application back to thePIO, Organising Committee).74. See Annexure 2: The Right to Information75. George Mathew, PIO, IOA, in an interview with EQUATIONS on 8 th July 2010.76. “Siri Fort Games project gets SC’s okay”, Indian Express; 28 th April 2009, http://www.indianexpress.com/news/siri-fort-games-projectgets-scs-okay/451941/0,data retrieved January 201077. “Siri Fort residents protest “misuse” of funds for sports complex revamp”, Indian Express; 14 th March 2009, http://www.indianexpress.com/news/siri-fort-residents-protest-misuse-of-funds-for-sports-complex-revamp/434343/0, data retrieved January 201078. Dutta, R. (2009) “The Unquiet River: An Overview of Select decisions of Courts on the River Yamuna”, published by PEACE InstituteCharitable Trust, Delhi79. See http://www.whatswiththeclimate.org/2009/11/12/green-commonwealth-games/, data retrieved January 201080. Satyagraha- is a non violent protest. Letter to the President, CGF, written by Yamuna Jiye Abhiyan, dated 14 th August 2007 endorsed by91 local groups/individuals.81. Rajendra Singh & Others vs. Govt. of Delhi and Others, PIL under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, (Filing No. 134027/2007)82. Ritwick Dutta, Environmental Lawyer, Legal Initiative for Forest and Environment, in an interview with EQUATIONS on 4 th March, 201083. “What Impact?” Down to Earth 15 th May 2006 http://119.82.71.32/full6.asp?foldername=20060515&filename=news&sec_id=4&sid=15data retrieved July 201084. Bharat Bhushan, Director (Scientific), Ministry of Environment and Forests, in an interview with EQUATIONS on 4 th March 201085. Annexure 10: Working around the EIA- Extracts from the PIL indicating the events leading to the Games Village getting an EIA clearance.

In CONCLUSIONThe Commonwealth Casualties“Humanity, Equality, Destiny”, are the threecore values endorsed by the CommonwealthGames movement. Inspiring as this is intended tobe, the Commonwealth Games 2010 impacts thatare already visible have not reflected any of thesevalues. Construction workers, street vendors,beggars, the evicted and displaced, the Yamuna,the environment, the tax-payer, the street child,the homeless, trees and birds, the governmentex-chequer all emerge as casualties of theCommonwealth Games. Overarching these are thetwin casualties of inclusive growth and democraticprocesses.Casualty One: Democratic Processes &Public AccountabilityThe world’s largest democracy has not hadany form of public consultation or publicdebate about hosting the Commonwealth Games,where it could be held and the implications itwould have. Basic democratic processes havebeen sacrificed to satisfy the push ahead by a fewvested interests to stage the Games. India went tobid for the Games without prior discussion in theCabinet and without allowing for public debatebefore the decision was taken. Clearances havebeen expedited bypassing decisions of mandatorycommittees and courts have given “favourable”judgments with a view to avoid “further” delays.In an audacious attempt to bypass public scrutinythe Organising Committee of the CWG left nostone unturned to argue that it should not beunder the ambit of the Right to Information Act2005. While it failed in that attempt, its evasiveresponses to RTIs have not inspired confidencein its willingness to be accountable. As a result,numerous citizen watchdog groups, researchstudies and investigations, petitions and PublicInterest Litigation, task forces on violationsof rights, protests by street vendors, beggars,sanitary workers, residents forums, campaigns bychild protection groups, RTI applications – all formsof vibrant civil society action has been set intomotion – as the writing is clear on the wall – this isnot “fair play”.Casualty Two: Use of Public FundsThe Commonwealth Games has been anexpensive affair and has seen obscenelyescalating costs. The OC continues to insist thatthe cost of the Games is 1620 crores. Delhi’s statebudget has also found novel ways of increasingtaxes and removing subsidies that will go towardrecovering the costs of the infrastructure and otherexpenditure commitments for the CommonwealthGames, an uninvited burden on its citizens. Itis not surprising if citizens already burdened byrising prices and struggling to makes ends meetdo not want to “pay for” the airfare and trainingof athletes of 70 other countries, even if it wasthe deal clincher in giving India the honour ofstaging the Games, and massive stadia, luxuryaccommodation and flyovers that they will notuse. The huge discrepancy between social budgetheadsand Games-budget-heads, is compoundedby instances of funds having been diverted forGames-related expenditure from key heads like theSpecial Component plan, the health plan and thePYKKA. To inflict the Games on its masses alreadyon the margins and battling to survive in a harshand inhospitable city is both ironic and cruel.Casualty Three:The Misfits in a World Class CityThe Government of Delhi has a simple formulafor all those who are termed misfits in theiridea of the world class city - do away with them.This intolerance for those not good enough isalarming as there is a fine line between peoplebeing seen as inconvenient, to being intolerant ofthem, and then being totally inhuman. That thisline has clearly been blurred is cause for deepconcern.India’s Bid for the Games claims “Regionaldisparities on social and economic growth areon the decrease. The standard of living of thecommon man is rising. Individual liberties andrights are zealously safeguarded.”In various court ruling of great importance theword “life” in Article 21 of the Constitution holds75

that life does not mean mere physical or animalexistence. It also includes the use of every limband faculty through which life is enjoyed andencompasses the right to live with basic humandignity and all that goes along with it namely,the bare necessities such as adequate nutrition,clothing and shelter.When Governments forget this primary obligationand treats its citizens with contempt and asdisposable, all talk of national pride and thecoming of age of India as a superpower is hollowand in fact dangerous.Casualty Four: The Rights of Citizenshipand Democratic DissentWith the shrinking spaces for public dissent,and removal of all signs of urban poverty thevision is to make Delhi a city amenable to perfectholidays but not to democratic dissent.Related with the need to transform the city intoperfection, is doing away with spaces that havecome to inculcate the idea of democracy anddissent. Jantar Mantar, which has been a site ofprotest for a wide array of people with differentbackgrounds and different issues from across thenation, who often come to the seat of ultimatepower – the capital city as their last recourse.Their shabby tents have been their temporaryhomes of people, are now the target of the policeand NDMC officials who forcibly evict protestorsno longer allowed to be there “overnight”. Notemporary structures will be tolerated till theCommonwealth Games are over, because the cityneeds to be beautiful.The move to apply Sec 144 of the CriminalProcedure Code to dedicated lanes forsportspersons and officials is also symptomatic tothe ludicrous lengths to which such ideas can betaken.Casualty Five: Sports Culture in IndiaThe impact of Commonwealth Games on thesports culture of the country needs to becritically examined. The CWG has done little tohelp spot and develop sporting talent in the moreestablished sports or promote indigenous sport.Sporting facilities set up may be “world-class” butthe gates will be closed for the common citizen,and to genuine sporting talent that lies latent inrural and small towns in India or lesser-privilegedsections of society. The Ministry of Youth Affairsand Sports in discounting the draft of a progressivesports policy has focussed its energy and fundson ensuring that world class infrastructure andfacilities are available to our sportsperson guestsand a few elites for a fortnight plus. It has in theprocess also discounted its own schemes and visionfor sports for all.Casualty Six: The Tourism Booster DoseThe contention of the Government that holdinga sports mega-event will boost tourism is suspectat the least and more likely specious. The focusand promotion of high-end tourism through taxbreaks,and banks, and concessions being providedboosting the luxury sector, addresses an elite layerof both tourists and tourism service providersand a legacy of resource-intensive infrastructure,benefiting primarily the real estate lobby.Links between mega sports events and promisedgains in terms of economic boost and boost intourism, based on several research studies ofother mega sport events have been discounted in aclassic case of the ”Emperor’s New Clothes”. Thisis nothing new as tourism policy and plans in thecountry have rarely been based on well researchedprojections of likely impacts or empirical evidenceactual impacts. In fact the Ministry has persistedin knee jerk reactions in the form of schemesto serious issues of tourism policy, plans andinvestments, refusing to learn from years ofground level evidence, or listening to a range ofstakeholders in tourism. Furthermore, the Ministryfails to see its role as holding the stewardship oftourism policy for the benefits of a wide section ofplayers and not cater only to the industry elites asthe case of the Commonwealth Games 2010 sadlyreconfirms.Casualty Seven: Humanity, Equality,DestinyThe mantra of inclusive growth without which nospeech of the Prime Minister is complete, hasfailed to recognise the large number of casualtiesof the Games – those whose realties are of noconsequence at the altar of national pride.To mark the 100 days countdown Mr Kalmadigushed “CWG is a powerful tool that canstrengthen social ties and networks, and promoteideals of peace, fraternity, solidarity, non-violence,tolerance and justice – all that independent76

India has stood for and championed actively.”Mr Kalmadi could not get it wronger, and what isfrightening is that he and many others in his campmay actually believe their own propaganda.There are millions of Indians not in Mr Kalmadi’scamp, and they are those who have been excluded.The Safai Karmachari Andolan - a peoplesmovement to eradicate manual scavenging in Indiahas been waging a relentless legal battle in theSupreme Court since 2003 seeking implementationof the 1993 law abolishing scavenging that will“liberate” 1.3 million manual scavengers from thismost inhuman practise. On the eve of the New Year2008, they launched ‘Action 2010’ a concertedcampaign to eliminate manual scavenging in Indiaby 2010. The countdown on the website of the SKAis like the countdown on the website of the CWG2010, only the goals are very different. One dealswith national shame while the other claims it dealswith national pride.As we go to press, thousands of temporary sanitaryworkers employed by the Municipal Corporation ofDelhi have gone on strike demanding permanentjobs and payment of arrears. The MCD hired themon a daily wage basis from 1994 promising thatthey would be regularised. However a few dayslater the MCD claimed it was broke and has nomoney to pay even salaries.Developments like the Commonwealth gamesarrogate the means of and for inclusive growth.The countdown of the SKA to abolish manualscavenging in India, the desperate action bysanitation workers to a regular job since 1994, arecarelessly swept aside, as are many others, whoserealities and struggles, dreams and destinies, donot count anymore in the India that has arrived.What does the Government see as the role oftourism? If one studies the Ministry of Tourism’sown propaganda, and that of the ParliamentStanding Committee, tourism is the magic wand– that will hide all warts and shameful things andpresent an idyllic picture postcard of all that wewish Delhi and our country to be. This is why mostschemes of tourism departments have the wordbeautification, and people have to be trained tobehave lest the tourist is not happy and runs away.However, what the Ministry of Tourism is runningaway from is dealing with the reality of thefilth and squalor that are part of most of ourtourist destinations, recognising that in a countrywith endemic poverty, local people who live indestinations gain little from tourism and existon its crumbs. It refuses to recognise that itspolicy making and implementation prioritieshave little or no substantiation for claims onmillions of jobs, projection of millions of futuretourists and local economy economic multipliers.Continuing to provide sops and subsidies to aslim creamy layer of tourism elites disregardingtheir complete lack of accountability is what thegovernment is obsessed with. Such a view resultsin a serious disconnect from reality and forbids anyengagement or interrogation of facts. Symptomssuch as these in an individual would be clinicallytermed psychotic disorder.It is time the Ministry of Tourism faces its delusionthat its key role is to be the promotional agencyfor colourful Incredible India ad campaigns. Itsculpability in the worst human rights abusesof ruthless and heartless evictions of the poorand vulnerable is what it needs to face and beaccountable for. It is time we revision tourism.Casualty Eight: Envisioning TourismThe view of the city through the eyes ofa foreigner has been a defining factor insculpting the vision of Delhi as a “world-classcity”. A Delhi with an international feel with itslow-floor buses, modernised mine is bigger thanyours airport terminals, extended metro, fivestar luxury hotels, world class stadia and swankyGames Village and flyovers is what constitutes theimagination.77

ReferencesReports, Documents, Papers and StudiesArchaeological Survey of India, “Proposal for conservation, restoration and improvement of touristamenities of the centrally protected monuments of Delhi for the Commonwealth Games 2010”Batra, L (2008) “Deconstructing the ‘world class’ city”, Seminar, Issue 581Baviskar, A (2007) “Delhi’s Date with the Common Wealth Games 2010: Common Wealth or Kiss of Death?”Games MonitorBisht, A “Once again Zero Sum Game”, 19 March 2010, HardnewsBlack, D (2007) “The Symbolic Politics of Sport Mega-Events: 2010 in Comparative Perspective”, Politikon,Vol. 34, Issue 3, December 2007COHRE (2007) “Fair Play for Housing Rights: Mega Events, Olympic Games and Housing Rights: Opportunitiesfor the Olympic Movement and Others”, Centre on Housing Rights and EvictionsCommonwealth Games Federation (2003) “The Report of the Commonwealth Games Evaluation Commissionfor the 2010 Commonwealth Games”Comptroller and Auditor General of India (2007) “Report No 2 of 2007”Comptroller and Auditor General of India (2009) “A Report on the Preparedness for the XIX CommonwealthGames”Comptroller and Auditor General of India (2010) “Report No 6 of 2009-10”Department-Related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism & Culture (2009) “Developmentof Tourism Infrastructure and Amenities for the Commonwealth Games 2010”Dutta, R. (2009) “The Unquiet River: An Overview of Select decisions of Courts on the River Yamuna”,published by PEACE Institute Charitable Trust, DelhiECS “The Real Demand for Rooms” March 2008ETOA (2006) “Olympic Report”, European Tour Operators AssociationETOA (2008) “Olympics and Tourism: Update on Olympic Report 2006”, European Tour Operators AssociationETOA (2009) “Beijing Olympic Update”, European Tour Operators AssociationFaulkner B (1993) “Evaluating the Tourism Impacts of Hallmark Events”, Occasional Paper No 16, Bureau ofTourism Research Canberra AustraliaGratton, C., Shibili, S., and Coleman, R., (2005) “Sport and Economic Regeneration in Cities”, Urban Studies,Volume 42 Issue 5/6, May 2005HLRN (2010) “The 2010 Commonwealth Games: Whose Wealth? Whose Commons?”, Housing and land RightsNetwork, New Delhi78

Horne, J. and Manzenreiter, W. (2006) “An introduction to the sociology of sports mega-events”, SociologicalReview, Vol. 54, Issue. s2, December 2006Indian Olympic Association (2003), Delhi Commonwealth Games 2010 Bid Document.Matheson, Victor A., “Upon Further Review: An Examination of Sporting Event Economic Impact Studies”2001, Games MonitorMatheson, Victor A. and Baade Robert A, (2004) “Mega -Sporting Events in Developing Nations: Playing theWay to Prosperity?” September 2004Menon-Sen, K., and Bhan, G., (2008) “Swept of the Map: Surviving Eviction and Resettlement in Delhi” YodaPress, New DelhiMinistry of Tourism (2003) “Twenty Year Tourism Perspective Plan for the State of Delhi”Ministry of Tourism (2006) “International Passenger Survey 2003”Ministry of Tourism (2007) “Action Plan to increase Flow of Foreign Tourists visiting India”Ministry of Tourism (2009) “Report of the Ministry of Tourism: Assessment of Number of Tourists Expected toVisit Delhi during Commonwealth Games 2010 and Requirement of Rooms for Them”Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, “Annual Report 2009-10”Mirabilis Advisory Pvt Limited, “Champion Cities: Recognising the Transformative Potential of Mega SportsEvents 2008”Owen, G. J. (2005) “Estimating the Cost and Benefit of Hosting Olympic Games: What Can Beijing Expectfrom Its 2008 Games?” The Industrial Geographer, Vol. 3, Issue 1Pillay, U.; Tomilson, R.; and Bass, O. (Eds.) (2009) “Development and Dreams: The urban legacy of the 2010Football World Cup”; HSRC PressPUDR (2004) “India Shining – A report on the demolition and resettlement of Yamuna Pushta Bastis”, PeoplesUnion for Democratic Rights, New DelhiPUDR (2009), “In the Name of National Pride (Blatant Violation of Workers Rights at the CommonwealthGames Construction Site)”, April, Peoples Union for Democratic Rights, New DelhiRamanathan U, (2005) “Demolition Drive”, Economic and Political Weekly, 2 nd July 2005Ramanathan U, (2006) “Illegality and the Urban Poor”, Economic and Political Weekly, 22 nd July 2006Ramanathan U, (2008) “Ostensible Poverty Beggary and the Law”, Economic and Political Weekly, 1 st November2008Roy, D., “Nothing Common about this Wealth”, Hardnews, 24 th March, 2010.Uppal, V., (2009) “The Impact of the Commonwealth Games 2010 on Urban Development of Delhi”, Theoreticaland Empirical Researches in Urban Management, Vol. 4, Issue 10Wildsmith, James and Bradfield, Michael (2007) “Halifax Commonwealth Games Bid: Were the Costs andBenefits Assessed?” Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives79

Annexure 1: Tourism- Hit or Miss?(Extracts from European Tour Operators Association Reports)Tourist potential is one of the significantrationales of hosting a mega-sports event. Alas!The trends, as analysed and understood by noneother than the European Tour Operators Associationpoint out quite the contrary.The ETOA distinguishes ‘sports visitors’ from‘regular visitors’. Sports visitors are interested insport and not in tourism, according to the ETOA,so the main spending is on hotel accommodation,which predominantly house officials, athletes,media persons and sport enthusiasts whosebehaviour is akin to businessmen coming in fora convention. Regular visitors expect congestionand increased prices, which dissuades them fromtravelling to a country during a mega-event.This ‘post Olympic blight’ is supposed to have beencommon to all the cities that hosted the Gamessince Seoul in 1988, which were held in Barcelona,Atlanta, Sydney, Athens and Beijing.occupancy rate in hotels stood at 80% during theOlympics, it had fallen up to 83% in March 2000.ETOA quotes David Mazitelli of the AustralianTourism Export Council (ATEC): ‘The SydneyOlympics had few long term positive impactsbeyond 2000 on the growth of Australian tourism.The impacts were short-term and were containedwithin a relatively tight geographic region. Theforecast of a remaining strong impact for the fouryears following the Games did not eventuate. Assoon as the Olympics finished, we started to seea fall away in inbound activity. Australia wentinto three years of negative growth (2001, 2002and 2003). Many commentators put it down toterrorism, but we were in decline well beforeSeptember 11, the collapse of Ansett (an officialOlympic airline) on September 14 and Bali. Thedecline started the day the Olympic focus shiftedto somewhere else (World Cup Football in Japan/Korea etc.).’In Barcelona, the hotel occupancy dipped from 70%in 1991 to 64% in 1992, the year that Barcelonastaged the Olympics, and continued to dip forthe following two years, when occupancy ratestouched 54%. It was only in 1998 that it exceededthe 80%mark, where the implied increase intourism, is attributed, not to the Olympics, but thearrival of cruise ships and low cost airlines in thelate nineties.Also, compared to Venice, Florence and Lisbon,tourism growth in Barcelona is below averageand post 1992, Barcelona barely kept pace withPrague, and was outstripped by Dublin in termsof tourist arrivals, and the gap was most acutein the five year period after the games. Infact in1993, ‘Tourisme de Barcelona’ was established topromote tourism to in response to the decline intourism after the games.Similarly, while Australia and New Zealand, beingfairly similar regions, saw comparable touristtraffic in the run up to the Sydney Olympics in2000, tourism in Australia saw a sudden declinepost the event, and it was only in 2004 that itcaught up with New Zealand again. Also, while theAthens which hosted the Olympics in 2004, andindeed Greece, suffered a setback post theOlympics, but ‘bounced back’ faster than itscounterparts. Yet, between 2001 and 2007, Turkeyfar outstripped tourist footfalls as comparedwith Athens, and Athens, though on the pathto recovery, has yet to match Croatia’s growth.Croatia and Athens had seen approximately thesame tourist demand between 2001 and 2002, afterwhich the gap widened, and was most pronouncedin the year 2004.The Beijing Olympics was projected to attract 4.5million tourists in 2008, while the actual figurewas just below 3.3 million, of which 390,000 cameduring the Olympic period. However, China’s visapolicies were being sighted as a deterrent fortourist arrivals, coupled with the economic slump.Figures available for Victoria which hosted theCommonwealth Games in 1994, indicated that ithad more visitors four years before the Games,and Manchester, which hosted the Games in 2004claimed to have attracted 1 million visitors, butticket sales indicate that the figure is much lower.In addition 31.5% of the tickets were sold toresidents of Greater Manchester.81

Reference:• ETOA (2006) “Olympic Report”, European Tour Operators Association, http://www.etoa.org/, dataretrieved January 2010• ETOA (2008) “Olympics and Tourism: Update on Olympic Report 2006”, European Tour OperatorsAssociation, http://www.etoa.org/, data retrieved January 2010• ETOA (2009) “Beijing Olympic Update”, European Tour Operators Association, http://www.etoa.org/,data retrieved January 201082

Annexure 2: The Right to InformationColour KeyResponse receivedNo response received1 st transfer of Application2 nd transfer of Application3 rd transfer of ApplicationResponsereceivedbyResponsedate1. RTI application submitted to Organising Committee, CWG, 2010 dated 13 April 2010 on Commonwealth Games, Delhi, 2010EQUATIONS’ Query StatusQ1 Q2 Q 3 Q 4 Q5 Q6 Q7 Q8Have economicimpactstudies of theCommonwealthGames in Delhibeen done? Bywhom and inwhich year?Please provide acopy.Is an economicimpact study beingplanned post theCommonwealthGames? If yes,by when and bywhom?Please providea copy of India’sbid documentsubmitted to theCommonwealthGamesFederation.Pleaseprovide acopy of thehost-citycontract.Why weretemporary,dismantablestructures notconsideredfor the gamesvillage?The Report ofCommonwealthGames EvaluationCommissionfor 2010 CWGreleased bythe CGF statesthat there isstrong evidenceof communitysupport fromsections ofthe generalpublic. How wassupport fromgeneral publicdetermined forthe purposes ofthe bid? Pleaseprovide copiesof any studies/surveys/otherindicative sourcesupon which thisstatement isbased.Havestudies onthe carbonfootprint ofthe Gamesbeingundertaken?Pleaseprovide acopy.Is a voluntarycarbon-offsetprogrammebeingconsidered?Please providedetails of thescheme/s. Alsoplease provideinformationon whichindividuals /companies areparticipatingin theprogramme andwhat actionsare beingundertaken bythem.83

OrganisingCommitteeSecretariat,CWG 20101.8. Coordinator,CWG 2010,Office of theDean StudentsWelfare, JamiaMilia IslamiaUniversity84Application forwarded to the following Departments / Officials1.1. OP Wadhwa, OSD to Chief Secretary / PIO, Govt of Delhi & NCT SecretariatReceived response on23.04.20101.2. Secretary, Ministry of Youth Affairs & SportsNo response received- Appeal filed toAppellate Authorityon 02.07.20101.3. DG, SAI1.4. Chairman, NDMCResponse dated26.04.2010Response dated28.04.20101.5. ADG, CPWD (CWG)Response dated26.04.201019.04.20101.6. Principal Commissioner (CWG) DDAResponse dated23.04.20101.7. Shri B. B. Popli, Director (Maintenance)-cum-PIO, Office of the Engineer-in-Chief, GNCTD1.8. Prof Zubair Meenai, Nodal Officer, CWG 2010, Office of the Dean Students Welfare, Jamia Milia Islamia UniversityResponse dated23.04.2010Response dated21.04.20101.9. Col (Retd) Ambarbir Singh, R.K Khanna Tennis Stadium No response received1.10. Finance Officer, Delhi University1.11. DG, CRPF HeadquartersResponse dated17.05.2010Response dated26.04.20101.12. George Mathew, CPIO, Indian Olympic AssociationNo response received- Appeal filed toAppellate Authorityon 28.05.201021.04.2010 Information pertaining to Q 1 -8 does not concern with Jamia Milia IslamiaX

1.6. Director(CWG), DelhiDevelopmentAuthority,Office of PR.Commissioner(CWG)1.1. OSD toChief Secretary/ PIO, Govt ofDelhi & NCTSecretariat1.7. Director(Maintenance)-cum-PIO, Officeof the Engineerin-Chief,GNCTD1.3. Director(Coord), SportsAuthorityof India,CoordinationDivision1.5. ExecutiveEngineer (MIS/ PIO), CWGP,CPWD, Office ofthe ADG (CWG),CPWD1.11. DIGP(Adm) & CPIO,DG, CRPF,Ministry of HomeAffairs23.04.2010 1.6.1 Application forwarded to SE (HQ) CWG, Office of CE (CWG), DDA requesting them to send the requisite information23.04.2010 1.1.1. Application transferred in original to OSD, CWG, Delhi Secretariat, New Delhi23.04.2010Requested information does not fall under jurisdiction.1.7.1. Application transferred to Executive Engineer (P) cum PIO, PWD Zone CW1, NCTD, New Delhi.26.04.2010 1.3.1. Application transferred in original to C.A. (Stadia) & CPIO26.04.2010Q1:Pertains toOC-CWG,2010Q2: Pertains toOC-CWG, 2010Q3: Pertains toOC-CWG, 2010Q4:Pertains toOC-CWG,2010 andGovt ofDelhiQ5:Pertainsto DDA/OC-CWG,2010Q6: Pertains toOC-CWG, 2010Q7: Nosuch studyhas beenundertakenby CPWDQ8: No suchprogrammeis beingconsideredby CPWD26.04.2010As per Sec 24 (1) of RTI Act 2005, Central Police Forces as listed in II Schedule of the Act, have been given qualified exemptionfrom the Act in so far as allegations of other than those connected with human rights violations & corruption are concerned.From the facts of the case mentioned in your application cited above, there appears to be no violations of human rights aswell as facts of the case do not attract ingredients to constitute allegations of corruption. Hence this department is not liableto provide information sought by you.85Response dated14.05.2010Response dated29.04.2010Response dated06.05.2010Response dated12.05.2010XX

1.10. AssistantRegistrar(Information) &PIO, Universityof Delhi1.4 APIO(Civil)-I/EO(Civil), CivilEngineeringDepartment,New DelhiMunicipalCouncil1.1.1. OSD(CWG),GNCTD, UrbanDevelopmentDepartment(CWG Cell),Delhi Secretariat1. SPIO (RTICell), OrganisingCommitteeSecretariat,CWG 20108627/28.04.2010Interim communication made to convey status of application. Information sought in the application and / or commentsthereon, wherever necessary, are being requisitioned from the offices / sections/ departments / faculties / centresconcerned. On receipt of relevant input, it will be processed in the Information Section and a reply will be sent to theapplicant in due course.28.04.2010 1.4.1. Application is transferred to Executive Engineer (Stadia Project), New Delhi Municipal Council29.04.2010 1.1.1.1. Application transferred to PIO, Organising Committee and PIO, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS)29.04.2010 Q7: Yes we have studiedthe carbon foot print ofthe Games. Currently it isestimated that the totalfootprint of the Gameswill be between 1,30,000-155,402 tons of CO2e.Details of emission havebeen given. The numbersand figures used are beingreviewed with differentstakeholders includingUNEP and revised as pertheir feedback. The figuresare subject to changebased on emerging data.Q8: OC - CWG is seeking to reduce its carbonfootprint through:Energy efficiency at venue and other games relatedinfrastructure like family hotels;Introduction of clean fuel Games related usepromoting use of public transport;OC is conducting an extensive plantation Pan Indiaand NCR plantation programme with at least 50,000saplings. GEF is funding this project and it holdspotential for offsetting at least 15,000t C02e peryear upon maturity.Additionally, another 50,000 saplings are beingplanted by DoE with the objectives of neutralizingthe Games emissions. It too holds potential foroffsetting at least 15,000t C02e per year uponmaturity.OC CWG will provide platforms for tourists andspectators to be able to offset their travel emissionthrough procuring carbon credits during Games atatleast 6 venuesResponse dated17.05.2010Response dated30.04.2010OC response dated29.04.2010No response receivedfrom MYASDue to inadequateresponse to theapplication anappeal was filed toAppellate Authorityon 26.05.2010Meeting withAppellate Authorityon 07.07.2010Appellate Authorityresponded on08.07.2010

1.4.1. EE (StadiaProject), Office ofExecutive Engineer(STADIA Project),Civil EngineeringDepartment, NDMC1.7.1 ProjectManager, PWD,GNCTD1.7.1. ProjectManager, R&RProject Circle, PWD,GNCTD1.3.1. DeputyDirector (Stadia) /Administrator, SportsAuthority of India1.6.1. SE(HQ)CWG,Delhi developmentAuthority, Officeof Chief Engineer(CWG)1.10.1 AssistantRegistrar(Information) &CPIO, University ofDelhi30.4.2010 Does not pertain to this divisionX06.05.2010 Nil information as far as concerned to this office circle.X06.05.2010Q1 - 2: Not knownto this officeQ3 - 6: Does not pertain to this officeQ7 - 8: This information is notavailable in this office X12.05.2010 Information sought does not pertain to Stadia DivisionX14.05.2010 Q1: NosuchstudieswereconductedQ2: Thereis noproposalto geteconomicimpactstudyconductedafter theGamesQ3:Paradoesnotapplyto thisofficeQ4: Paradoes notapplyto thisofficeQ5: It is not possibleto constructtemporary,dismantablestructures toaccommodate 8000persons as a lotof space shouldhave been neededfor the same. Incase of temporary,dismantablestructures, theamount spent wouldhave been infructousQ6: Nocommentsas paradoes notpertain tothis officeQ7: No studyon carbonfootprint hasbeen underthe charge ofthis officeQ8: It is not inthe knowledgeof this officeX17.05.2010 Q1 - 7: To be replied by MoYAS/OC.Q8: To be repliedby MoYAS/OC.Details beingasked aboutgreen features ofthe building areintimated timelyto OCX87

1. Project Officer,APIO, OrganisingCommittee,CWG 2010, FACoordination -received a copydirectly from theAppellate Authorityduring the hearingof the case on07.07.20101. AppellateAuthority, OrganisingCommitteeSecretariat, CWG20108822.05.2010 Q4: The host city contract hasthe following provisions “thesignatories to the HCC agreethat all information obtainedfrom each other includingthrough discussions andnegotiations relating to thiscontract and the other Gamesdocuments, are confidentialand will not be disclosed toany person except requiredb law or with prior writtenconsent of the owner of theconfidential information.There also is a provision inthe HCC that the contractwill be governed by the Lawof England.08.07.2010 Q1: Studyconducted by PriceWater House. Needto send a postalorder to get copyof the studyQ4: “As it involves third partyconcerned, necessary legalviews are to be obtained andresultant decision will beintimated”Q6: During the bidprocess, IOA securedsignatures of morethan 10000 personsfrom a cross sectionof the society,including Members ofParliament, youth,school children,etc demonstratingpublic support for theGames.Q7: More details providedin relation to which venueshave been made moreenergy efficient, whichclean fuel will be used,carbon offsetting throughplantations, who is providingthe saplings, how will it bemaintained, where will it beplanted and what activitiesamounted to the carboncredits sold.

Responsereceived byDeputySecretary andCPIO, PrimeMinister’sOfficeDeputySecretary andCPIO, PrimeMinister’sOfficeDeputySecretary andCPIO, PrimeMinister’sOfficeResponsedate08.06.201002.07.201009.07.20102. RTI application submitted to the Prime Ministers Office, dated 31st May 2010 on Commonwealth Games, Delhi, 2010EQUATIONS Query StatusQ 1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5 Q6 Q7When andhow was theproposal forIndia hostingthe CWGmade?What were theproceduresundertakento come to adecision takento bid for theCWG, 2010?Please providea copy of theminutes of themeetings of theCabinet wherethe decisionto bid for theCWG, 2010 wasdiscussed andfinalised.Please providea copy of theminutes of allmeetings calledby/attendedby the PrimeMinister’sOffice, wherethe decisionto bid for theCWG, 2010 wasdiscussed andfinalised.Has the DraftComprehensiveNational SportsPolicy, 2007been discussedin the Cabinet?Please provideminutes of allmeetings of theCabinet where itwas discussed.Has the DraftComprehensiveNational SportsPolicy 2007 beendiscussed by thePrime Minister’sOffice? Pleaseprovide minutesof all meetingscalled by/attended by thePrime Minister’sOffice where itwas discussed.What is thepresent statusof the DraftComprehensiveNational SportsPolicy, 2007Application transferred to Secretary, Department of Sports, New Delhi on Question 1, 2 and 7No responsereceivedApplication transferred to CPIO, Cabinet Secretariat, New Delhi on Question 3 and 5No responsereceivedInformation will be provided in due course by this office on Question 4 and 6Interimreply dated02.07.2010The matter isbeing processedby the officeand reply /information willbe sentThe matter isbeing processedby the officeand reply /information willbe sentResponse dated09.07.2010No such meetingwas called /attended by thePrime Minister’sOfficeNo such meetingwas called /attended by thePrime Minister’sOfficeX89

Response receivedbySPIO (RTI Cell),Organising CommitteeSecretariat, CWG,2010SPIO (RTI Cell),Organising CommitteeSecretariat, CWG,2010O P Wadhwa, OSD toChief Secretary / PIO,Government of Delhiand NCTDeputy Director (MR),Ministry of Tourism903. RTI application submitted to Organising Committee, CWG, 2010 dated 10 June 2010 on (Tourist arrival data for CWG 2010)ResponsedateEQUATIONS Query StatusQ1 Q2 Q 3 Q 4 Q 5What is the estimatednumber of touristsexpected for theCWG? Please providea break-up ofdomestic and foreigntourists, with sourcecountry informationfor foreign touristsand information oftourists state wise fordomestic tourists.Were there anystudies/researchundertaken or reliedon to establish theexpected number offoreign and domestictourists? Please providea copy of the studies.How many ticketsare being printed forthe CWG 2010? Whatdenomination valuesare they? (Kindlygive numbers foreach denominationcategory).What is the amountof revenue throughtickets that the OCexpects to achieve?How many ticketsare being sold topublic and how manyare being given oncomplimentary basisor subsidised. What isthe set of criteria forcomplimentary andsubsidised tickets?Application transferred to Secretary, Ministry of Tourism on Question 1 - 2Response dated02.07.201015.06.2010Application transferred to Shri O P Wadhwa, OSD to Chief Secretary / PIO, Government of Delhi and NCT on Question 1 - 2Response dated30.06.2010OC-CWG, 2010 is taking necessary action to furnish information in respect of Q 3, 4 and 5.Response dated21.06.201021.06.2010Q3: 1.7 million ticketsare being printedfor CWG, 2010. Rs.50/- to Rs.1000/- forSports and Rs. 750/-to Rs. 50,000/- forthe CeremonyQ4: Rs 70 crores is theamount of revenuethrough tickets that OCexpects to achieveQ5: 20,000 tickets ofvarious denominationshas been sold sofar. With regard tocomplementary ticketspolicy no decision hasbeen finalised yet,there is no provisionfor subsidised tickets.X30.06.2010 Q1 - 2: Application transferred to Joint Secretary (Tourism), Tourism Department02.07.2010Q1 - 2: MoT commissioned a study “Assessment of Number of Tourists expected to visit during the CWG 2010 andRequirements of the Rooms for Them”. The report of the aforesaid study may be seen in the official website of the Ministryof Tourism www.tourism.gov.in in the hyperlink of survey and studies. The report provides information related to number offoreign and domestic tourist expected to visit Delhi during CWG 2010 along with other information. In the study, the sourcecountry information for foreign tourist and information of tourists state wise for domestic tourists were not worked out.X

Annexure 3:Official Tourism Statistics & AnalysisA - Foreign Tourist Arrivals to IndiaYearForeign tourist arrivals1999 24819282000 26493782001 25372822002 23843642003 27262142004 34574772005 39186102006 44471672007 50815042008 52826032009 5108579 ##Provisional Estimates, Annual report 2009-2010, Ministry of TourismSource:• Ministry of Tourism (2009) “India Tourism Statistics, 2008”, Market Research Division, Ministry ofTourism, New Delhi• Ministry of Tourism (2010) “Annual report 2009-2010”, Ministry of Tourism, New DelhiB - Factors Influencing Choice of Destination of Foreign Tourists visiting India (in %)Factors Primary Secondary Not importantSightseeingLandscapes / Scenic Beauty 74.32 19.91 5.77Monuments/ Archaeological Sites 49.99 40.10 9.91Museums / Art Galleries 47.28 27.62 25.10Wild Life / Sanctuaries 20.92 37.06 42.03Rural life 18.75 58.19 23.06Cities and Markets 44.06 39.06 16.88Cultural ActivitiesArt/ Theatre/ Music/ Dance 37.74 42.47 19.79Festivals/ Fairs 31.63 41.34 27.03Literary 14.44 43.16 42.40ResortsBeaches 39.07 40.00 20.93Hills 21.88 40.31 37.8191

Participatory SportsWater Sports 10.91 21.71 67.38Winter Sports 5.74 17.67 76.59Trekking 11.79 26.21 62.00Mountaineering 6.19 15.77 78.04Rafting 6.57 15.68 77.75Fishing 8.38 19.42 72.20Golf 3.24 14.32 82.45Shopping 10.77 64.48 24.76Source:• Ministry of Tourism (2006) “International Passenger Survey 2003,” Market Research Division, Ministry ofTourism, New DelhiC - Percentage Distribution of Tourists using various Categories of AccommodationTwenty year perspective plan (Delhi)2003InternationalPassenger Survey,2003 - IndiaAccommodation type Foreign Tourist Domestic Tourist Foreign TouristStarred 22.00%20.10%Economy 8.40%10.80%47.46%Guest House 2.30% 9.72%Youth hostels 0.50% 1.12%Tourists camps 0.20% 1.27%Conference centre 0.50% 0.14%Private Rented 7.20% 8.89%Dharmshalas - 8.10% -FriendsRelatives1.70%13.90%36.90%11.22%Others (unapproved) 57.30% 30.30% 0.08%Total 100.00% 100.00%Source:• Ministry of Tourism (2003) “Twenty year perspective plan for the State of Delhi” http://www.tourism.gov.in/pplan/Delhi.pdf data retrieved June 2010• Ministry of Tourism (2006) “International Passenger Survey 2003”, Market Research Division, Ministry ofTourism, New Delhi92

D - Data from Twenty year TourismPerspective Plan for the State of Delhi(2003), Ministry of TourismI. Forecast of Visitor VolumesForecast of visitor volumes both international anddomestic based on the past data serves as a basisfor the critical analysis.The international tourist visits to Delhi in 2000were 1274177. It is estimated to touch 1.50 millionin 2005 and 1.80 million in 2010 reaching 2.50million in 2022.In 2000, there were 1728899 domestic touristsvisits to Delhi. Estimated 2.20 million tourists toDelhi in 2005 is forecasted. It will reach to 3.58million tourist visits in 2010 and 3.76 milliondomestic tourists visits in 2022. The detailedforecast methodology in Chapter 8.II. Supply Demand Gap for Accommodation UnitsThere are about 1161 accommodation units withmore than 20600 rooms in various categories ofaccommodation in Delhi. The average durationof stay of foreign tourists is three days and 80per cent prefer star categories, ideal occupancybeing 60 per cent. The estimated rooms requiredby foreign tourists would be 8745 rooms in 2005,10412 rooms in 2010 and 14411 rooms in 2022.About 11 per cent domestic tourists to Delhi stayin star category hotels. The average duration staybeing 2.5 days double occupancy factor of 60 percent. Ideal occupancy is 70 per cent. The roomsrequired by domestic tourists in star category willbe 1457 rooms in 2005, 2366 rooms in 2010 and2487 rooms by 2022.Thus, there would be demand supply gap of 1018rooms in 2005, 2988 rooms in 2010 which willincrease to 7714 rooms by the end of 2022.E – Accommodation Scenario – DelhiTwenty yearperspectiveplan for theState of DelhiBid DocumentBid EvaluationIndia TourismStatistics2008Assessment ofNumber of TouristsExpected to VisitDelhi during CWG2010 & Requirementof RoomsYear ofpublicationStar High end 33 302003 2003 2003 2009 2009Star budgetHeritageSupplementaryUnclassified37-1091-221--Delhi has 9000first classhotels. Evenif this was atypo and theymeant 900012--5Total No offirst class1161 53Hotelshotel rooms, itis incorrect.Total no of7927 in star20614Roomscategories51955434Not givenSource:• Ministry of Tourism (2003) “Twenty year perspective plan for the State of Delhi” http://www.tourism.gov.in/pplan/Delhi.pdf data retrieved June 2010• Indian Olympic Association (2003), Delhi Commonwealth Games 2010 Bid Document.• Commonwealth Games Federation (2003) “The Report of the Commonwealth Games EvaluationCommission for the 2010 Commonwealth Games”• Ministry of Tourism (2009) “India Tourism Statistics, 2008”, Market Research Division, Ministry ofTourism, New Delhi• Ministry of Tourism (2009) “Report of the Ministry of Tourism: Assessment of Number of TouristsExpected to Visit Delhi during Commonwealth Games 2010 and Requirement of Rooms for Them”,http://tourism.gov.in/, data retrieved June 201093

F – Tourist visitations to the Taj Mahal, AgraDomestic VisitorsForeign Visitors2005 1885286 5936372006 2048120 4913512007 2624085 5861052008 2635283 591560Source:• Ministry of Tourism (2008) “India Tourism Statistics, 2007”, Market Research Division, Ministry ofTourism, New Delhi• Ministry of Tourism (2009) “India Tourism Statistics, 2008”, Market Research Division, Ministry ofTourism, New Delhi94

Annexure 4:Plan to Augment Amenities and UtilitiesExtending an invitation to approximately100,000 elite visitors in a city where thepopulation is projected to be 192 lakhs by 2010is likely to pressure on supply of water, power,waste management and pollution. The “city” isprojected as a uniform space bereft of conflictand discrimination, glazing over the poor andmarginalised who in any case do not legitimatelyaccess these amenities, many of who have beendisplaced to make way for power, water supply,and other projects.WaterDelhi Jal Board is planning to augment watersupply considerably by 2010. Two new initiativeshave been initiated to increase water supply fromthe current 670 million gallons per day (MGD) to941 MGD. 1 A major focus is on new distributionnetworks and augmentation in the Games Village,and Stadia and a new water treatment plant withthe capacity to treat a million gallons of waterper day is also being worked upon. 2 Waste Watertreatment plants are also to be set up in Haiderpur,Sonia Vihar, Wazirabad and Chandrawal. 3 However,the DJB facing a fund crunch to finish all itsGames related projects had requested the DelhiGovernment for an additional Rs. 600 crore inOctober 2009. 4PowerColossal energy consumption goes hand in handwith staging a mega event. Delhi needs to haveuninterrupted power supply during the Games andmuch is being done to augment power supply in thecity, with the aim of providing Delhi with 7000 MWof power, when the estimated need is 5200 MW andis unlikely to cross 6000 MW at any rate. 5 AccordingEnd Notesto estimates, with all the power planning takingplace to give Delhi 7000 MW of power in 2010, thetotal power production in Delhi will only reach2300MW, leaving a shortfall of around 4700MW.In all probability, Delhi will have to rely on theNorthern Grid for power which presently caters toUP, Uttaranchal, Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan. 6In addition to a sub-grid station being laid out nearthe Akshardham Temple for the Games Village,the 1,500-MW Bawana project 750 MW would beallocated from Jhajjar, around 500 MW from theDadri NTPC plant and the 750-MW Bamnauli projectare going to supply power to Delhi in time for theGames. 7 The Delhi Government is also fundingthe construction of the Renuka Dam in HimachalPradesh, from where it will receive 40 MW ofpower. 8Solid Waste ManagementSolid waste management is a major concern giventhat Delhi’s track record of waste collection,segregation, recycling and disposal is poor, andits landfills are bursting at their seams. TheGames have brought on privatisation of wastemanagement in the hope of improvement. Wastemanagement has been privatized in 6 of the 12MCD zones already and 4 of the remaining 6 aredue for privatisation. 9 10 In addition, independentinitiatives of managing waste are beingundertaken under the banner of “Green Games,”predominantly at sporting venues.The installation of an integrated security system(ISS), estimated to cost Rs.370 crore, to coverall the venues 11 and Rs. 200 crore on installingstreetlights on important roads 12 are also planned.1. Sharma, M., (2009) “Commonwealth Games 2010 and Use of the facilities after the Games: A business of hope”, Centre for Civil Society,Working Paper No 214, http://www.ccsindia.org/ccsindia/downloads/intern-papers-09/cwg-and-use-of-the-facilities-214.pdf, dataretrieved January 20102. Uppal, V., (2009) “The Impact of the Commonwealth Games 2010 on Urban Development of Delhi”, Theoretical and Empirical Researchesin Urban Management, Vol. 4, Issue 10, http://econpapers.repec.org/article/romterumm/v_3a4_3ay_3a2009_3ai_3a10_3ap_3a7-29.htm,data retrieved January 20103. Gupta, G., “DJB plans for tough year ahead”, Indian Express; 4 th January, 2010, http://www.indianexpress.com/news/djb-plans-fortough-year-ahead/562952/,data retrieved January 20104. “DJB needs Rs 600 cr extra for 2010 work”, Times of India; 27 th October 2009 , http://commonwealthgamesdelhi2010mahi.blogspot.com/2009/10/djb-needs-rs-600cr-extra-for-2010-work.html, data retrieved January 20105. “Power Arrangements for Delhi Commonwealth Games” 7 th May 2008, http://2010commonwealthgamesindia.blogspot.com/2008/05/power-arrangements-for-delhi.html, data retrieved January 201095

966. Uppal, V., (2009)7. “Move to step up power supply for 2010 Games”, The Hindu; 18 January 2009, http://www.thehindu.com/2009/01/18/stories/2009011854240400.htm, data retrieved January 20108. “Delhi eager to start Renuka dam in Himachal before commonwealth games”, Northern Voices Online; 16 th May 2010http://nvonews.com/2010/05/16/delhi-eager-to-start-renuka-dam-in-himachal-before-commonwealth-games/,data retrieved July 20109. Sharma, M., (2009)10. Uppal, V., (2009)11. “2010 dawns, but Delhi unprepared for Commonwealth Games”, Prokerala; 31 st December 2009, http://www.prokerala.com/news/articles/a104157.html, data retrieved January 201012. “Rs 200 cr to be spent on streetlights”, Times of India; 25 th March 2009, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Rs-200-cr-to-bespent-on-streetlights/articleshow/4311432.cms

Annexure 5:EQUATIONS petition Opposing Planfor Section 144 during CWG 2010 forthe Uninterrupted Movement of theCommonwealth Games Officials & Athletesrecent media report indicates that in orderA to prevent the general commuters frominfringing the dedicated lanes, Delhi Traffic Policeis preparing to impose Section 144 CriminalProcedure Code, 1973 (CrPC) on the demarcatedareas for the duration of the CommonwealthGames (CWG 2010). This according to them is toensure uninterrupted movement of the officialsand athletes during the Games. According tothe media report, this step has been resorted tofollowing the rejection of the request of the DelhiPolice for imposing a hefty penalty on violators, bythe Delhi Government.the punishment of seizure of vehicle is notcommensurate with the nature of the supposedcrime. When the Delhi government was rightlyunwilling to impose fines, the imposition of farmore severe rule is unwarranted.Preservation of the public peace and tranquility isthe primary function of the government, and thelaw is not to be resorted to, when there are gapsin implementing policy. Penalizing common citizensin their zest to provide special arrangements forthe participants and officials of the ensuing CWG iscertainly not the way to do it.We are alarmed at this proposal of Delhi TrafficPolice. Imposing Section 144 CrPC is unreasonable,unjustified and a disproportionate use of aprovision that has been provided in the criminaljustice system to deal with emergency/urgentsituations like riots and arson. It is a completemockery of the law that Delhi Traffic Policeproposes to impose such a section for controllingtraffic in Delhi during the CWG 2010.Another news report subsequently makes nomention of Sec 144 CrPC. We along with otherconcerned groups wish to express our alarm atsuch a move by the Delhi Police, in case bettersense has not dawned, and it has not been quashedalready.Action under this section is anticipatory, imposedgenerally in cases of emergency and meant tobe used sparingly. Orders under this sectionare justifiable only when it is likely to createannoyance, injury or risk of injury to human life orsafety, obstructions, or disturbance of the publictranquillity, imperilling public safety and health.During the CWG 2010, the athletes and officialswill be transported from the games village to therespective games venues in specially designatedvehicles. The commuters of Delhi going about theirdaily lives pose no risk or danger to their life andhealth.Declaring a certain portion of the road as“disturbed” under Section 144 of CrPC in thissituation is blatantly absurd. The nature ofThe obsession of the Central as well as DelhiGovernment of showcasing CWG 2010 as a galaevent is coming at the cost of undermining basicrights of the its citizens and treating them ascriminals in their own city – while they go aboutconducting their daily lives. Civil society protestsabout numerous other violations of basic rights ofcitizens – the right to be consulted and informed,the right not to be evicted, the right to fair labourconditions, the right to their environment, theright to development that benefits the commonman, the right not to be criminalized if you are abeggar, a street vendor, homeless – the CWG 2010is increasingly standing for the gross violation ofsuch rights instead of what it is supposed to standfor – Humanity, Equality, Destiny – ironic indeed!Indeed as the countdown to the Games begins, theconcerns and protests of civil society groups andpeoples organisations at “the Games at any Cost”is on the increase. Unfortunately, the behaviorof the state when seized with real and imaginedsecurity concerns, along with the pursuance ofits “development” agenda, has only led to theinfringement of basic civil political and humanrights of ordinary people. The disenfranchisementof citizens of their dignity and rights is sucha common occurrence now that we are urgedto accept this as the cost of progress anddevelopment. In the case of the CWG 2010 – weare urged additionally to accept this as a necessarysacrifice for “national pride”.97

Reference:• To refer to Sec 144 of the CrPC: http://www.mha.nic.in/pdfs/ccp1973.pdf• Media ReportsDaily PioneerPolice plan to impose Sec 144 on Gamesrestricted lanes, Rakesh Ranjan, New Delhi,10 th June 2010, http://epaper.dailypioneer.com/THEPIONEER/PIONEER/2010/06/10/ArticleHtmls/10_06_2010_003_047.shtml?Mode=1Trespassing into the road areas segregated foruninterrupted movement of athletes and officialsduring the Commonwealth Games might attract acriminal case against violators. The Delhi TrafficPolice, in order to prevent the general commutersfrom infringing on the dedicated lanes, is preparingto impose Section 144 (CrPC) on the demarcatedareas throughout the duration of the Games.According to the Traffic Police, any motorist foundviolating the order, would be booked under theprovision of the IPC and the vehicle would beseized. The move comes following the requestof the Delhi Police for imposing a hefty penaltyon violators, which was rejected by the DelhiGovernment.“The objective is to ensure uninterruptedmovement of the Commonwealth Games officialsand athletes during the event. We are left onlywith the option of imposing section 144 as ourrequest for levying hefty penalty was turneddown,” said Ajay Chadha, special commissioner ofpolice (Traffic). He further said no vehicle wouldbe allowed to enter the segregated area, which isone third of the total road space “Violation of theorders would attract legal action that may resultinto seizure of the vehicle,” he added.Notably, section 144 of Criminal ProcedureCode (CrPC) enables a magistrate to restrain anindividual or public from a certain act by a writtenorder, which is valid for two months. At the sametime, violation of the order amounts to a criminaloffence with provisions in section 188 of the IndianPenal Code (IPC). The disobedience to the orderpromulgated by the magistrate might lead toimprisonment and fine. The traffic police chief saidthat they would ask the authorities to delegate thepower to power to this effect to an officer of therank of assistant Commissioner of police.Chadha further said the trials for the dedicatedlanes are likely to be started next week. “TheNDMC has been carrying out the work of paintingthe dedicated lanes so that the commuters canidentify them easily. The work is likely to becompleted soon following which the lanes would beready for trials,” he added.In order to separate the dedicated lanes, theywould be coloured differently and signages willbe put along the route for the convenience of themotorists at every 500 metre. It is noteworthythat the traffic police will be providing dedicatedlanes only to the athletes and the members of theCommonwealth Games Federation (CGF), who willbe staying in the Games Village and The Ashok andSamrat hotels respectively. It has denied providingseparate lanes to the officials and guests.“The organising committee (OC) has identified 19hotels across the city for providing accommodationto the officials. We are not inclined to facilitatethem with dedicated lanes as it would pose trafficdisruption on several arterial routes,” said thespecial commissioner. The dedicated lanes will bein addition to the route taken to ferry them fromIGI Airport to their respective accommodations, headded.Indian ExpressL-G clears track for Games traffic planPosted: Mon 21st June 2010, 04:07 hrs, New Delhihttp://www.indianexpress.com/news/lg-clearstrack-for-games-traffic-plan/636432/0The Commonwealth Games might be scheduledfor October, but the traffic plan for the event isalready being put in place. The extreme right laneon all routes leading to the venues will be setaside for Games-related traffic. After the lanes arepainted blue by the end of June, the traffic policeis expected to start awareness drives to sensitisedrivers on how to use roads with lane restrictions.At a high-level meeting of the core group onCommonwealth Games chaired by Lieutenant-Governor Tejendra Khanna earlier this month,detailed transport and traffic circulation plans,entry and exit points and parking slots werefinalised. The plans will get a final shape at thenext meeting to be chaired by the L-G in June-end.98

Annexure 6:The FIFA World Cup -Fever in South Africa, a Case StudyAs South Africa prepares to host, the 2010 FIFAWorld Cup, does it spread the fever of excitementor illness? FIFA (Federation de International FootballAssociation) is said to have more member nationsthan the International Olympic Committee or theUN, and FIFA games are supposed to be extremelyprofitable for FIFA through sale of television rights,and its dealings with corporate and event-basedsponsors. But the benefits that would accrue to thehost nation are a matter of small debate.With South Africa having 9 host cities, the FIFAtournament is supposed to help cities spread theirwings and fly. However, critical reflections made inessays in the book titled “Development and Dreams:The Urban Legacy of the 2010 Football WorldCup” edited by Udesh Pillai, Richard Tomilson andOrli Bass” articulates apprehensions, giving someinstances of what has taken place in South Africa sofar in the name of the Games. India and South Africaare third-world cities, in the process of creating“world-class city” enclaves to host a mega-sportingevent, and the laying of the grounds has seen muchin common, in the rationale behind staging a megasportsevent, and the gap between the expectationof positive social and economic impacts which arefar from being realised.S.A has already hosted the Rugby World Cup in1995, 1996 African World Cup of Nations, All AfricanGames in 1999 and the Cricket World Cup in 2003,and lost the bid to host the 2004 Olympics. Withexperiences of opposition to sports-mega event inother countries and its own failed Olympic bid, atleast at the planning stage, South African Plannersattempted to focus on “improving life conditionsof the historically disadvantaged and, second,redesigning the apartheid city in order to create newfunctional linkages” in bringing the FIFA World Cup toSouth Africa. Also on top priority is to use the eventto present a “contemporary, reinvigorated image ofAfrica, and through celebration of African cultureand identity” in addition to promoting economicdevelopment and halving unemployment rates by2014. However, purposeful intentions have come witha lot of compromise in implementing this vision asFIFA comes with a contract that does not distinguishbetween developed and developing countries, anddeliverables by the host-city entail compromiseswith regard to what would suit the county best, asmaking cities suitable for the tournament is givenprecedence. Roads, ports, supporting infrastructureand transport projects are for instance, are difficultto align to existing projects and plans.The FIFA World Cup is slated to be staged across9 host cities and 10 stadiums within South Africa.S.A’s National Government has had to enact speciallegislation to meet FIFA’s conditions, which involvesa suspension of laws which contradict FIFA’sstipulations, and these laws also apply to the privatesector and civil society organisations. Laws enactedspecifically to accommodate the event are the 2010FIFA World Cup South Africa Special Measure Act(No.11 of 2006) and Second 2010 FIFA World CupSouth Africa Special Measure Act (No.12 of 2006),while the two acts amended were the MerchandiseMarks Amendment Act (No.61 of 2002) and theRevenue Laws Amendment Act (No.20 of 2006).Clearly, South Africa’s vision for itself in bringingthe FIFA World Cup to its shores and FIFA’s ownvision cannot possibly be fully compatible, and itis not surprising therefore that critics and othersconcerned with the bringing of the internationalmega-event in their midst do not expect the positivesocial and economic fallouts claimed by the SouthAfrican government in its bid to provide a platformof new opportunity to South Africa. Opposition to amega-event such as this also lies in the experiencesof other countries for which the there is no simpleequation to be made between the ideas of sportsand the argument of city regeneration, and brandingof a city/country through tourist arrivals promotedthrough this particular strategy.The question of the opportunity cost at which theFIFA World cup will be played in South Africa isalready being asked, as the projection of the cost inthe bid-book of 2003 has proved to be a significantlylarge under-estimation of actual costs.The high profile nature of the event has clearlybeen a factor in escalating costs. For instance,though both Cape Town and Durban were found tohave satisfactory stadiums that already exist, bothcities are getting new stadiums. While Cape Townsought to build a new stadium in a suburb in thehope for development of the suburb, Durban’s newstadium is at a location which provides the bestview of the city, and the stadium is constructedto Olympic standards in anticipation of a futureOlympic bid. While expenditure on stadiums aloneis estimated at US$ 1.35 billion, the usefulness of99

stadiums beyond the FIFA tournament is also beingquestioned. Ticket prices are also extremely high,and 15% of the seats have been reserved for SouthAfricans at differential, more affordable pricing inRands to accommodate domestic fans.Essentially, the “vision remains that of halvingpoverty and unemployment by 2014, and the2010 World Cup provides an opportunity to fasttrack development towards attainment of thisvision” as The Star put it, and yet, grave doubtsare being expressed about the poverty alleviationstrategy based on the “trickledown effect” and“developments linked with the World Cup is notpro-poor as pro-growth strategies that involvejob creation does not necessarily impact poor andmarginalised communities positively.” Even urbandevelopment taking place in honour of the FIFAGames is unlikely to be beyond the need of thegames itself.A significant social fallout has been in ushering inthe process of gentrification, as did many othermega-sports events. Housing created tends to beunaffordable to the poor, and bringing stadiums topoorer areas impacts property prices as the socialcomposition of people living around that areachanges, leading to a process of gentrification. Thestadium at Ellis Park, Johannesburg also had hadlow-income groups being displaced – in the name ofurban renewal and regeneration.With respect to tourism, though FIFA World Cup heldin Korea in 2002 and Japan, and 2004 in Germanyexperienced a decline in tourists, it may not bethe case in South Africa as the FIFA is being heldduring low tourist season. However, South Africanhost-and non-host cities are gearing up for tourismin their own strategic ways. Host cities such asJohannesburg, Durban and Cape Town, are tryingto integrate stadiums into the city, but otherhost-cities have their focus on just delivering thestadium with the required seating capacity. Nonhostcities are vying for spill-over tourists, seekingto benefit from the “displacement effect” causedin host cities, and hoping that spill-over tourismcontributes to establishing non-host cities asmajor tourist destinations at a later period. Whileaccommodation in particular is being arranged inmany non-host cities, these cities also designed tosupport certain spin-offs, for instance, Mbombela’stourism economy is designed at capturing tourismspin-offs from surrounding game parks, andRustenberg is close to Sun City, and hopes to benefitfrom it. Promoting training venues in non-host citiesalso helps boost the economy.However, it is also found that people in non-hostcities are likely to be more favourably disposed tomega-events as they benefit from spill-over tourismthat does not require an vast resources to readyplaces for a tourist influx, and neither are theysubject to inflated prices, traffic congestion andother associated inconveniences of mega-sportsevents.100

Annexure 7:Mega Sports, Displacements and ForcedEvictions - a dismal recordThe Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions(COHRE) is Geneva-based international humanrights organisation, focusing on the human right toadequate housing, and on halting and remedyingforced evictions. COHRE has consultative statuswith the United Nations.An unfortunate commonality between hostcountries of mega events is that evictions,displacement and clean-ups, are the order of theday. More often than not, these are large-scaleoperations, affecting a significant number ofpeople, who find many of their rights infringedupon as they become victims of human violations.Investigations and studies 1 conducted by Centre onHousing Rights and Evictions (COHRE) found thatmega sports events act as a catalyst for processesof “gentrification” and the impact is “often feltdisproportionately by marginalised groups whoare discriminated against throughout the process,including the poor, low income earners, those withinsecure tenure, the homeless, ethnic minorities,the elderly, the disabled, street vendors,sex workers, migrants, the mentally ill, and othervulnerable groups.”COHRE reported that “Displacements and forcedevictions prompted by gentrification (under therubric of redevelopment) have been acceleratedby the Olympic Games. Some 720,000 people wereforcibly evicted in Seoul and Inchon prior to the1988 Olympic Games, while conservative estimatesshow at least 1.25 million people have alreadybeen evicted in Beijing in the lead up to the 2008Summer Olympic Games (with approximately250,000 more displacements expected before theGames are staged). Furthermore, thousands ofpeople were evicted or relocated in Barcelona(1992), Atlanta (1996) and Sydney (2000) and Romawere evicted from their settlements Athens inrelation to the 2004 Olympic Games. In Barcelona,almost 200 families were displaced specificallyfor the construction of the ring roads surroundingthe city, and countless more due to gentrificationof the inner city areas. In Atlanta, it is estimatedthat 30,000 people were affected by displacementdue to Olympics-related gentrification and theassociated escalation in housing costs, with specificexamples of over 4,000 people being displacedfrom just one housing community.”COHRE also reported that “street-cleaningoperations” to rid host cities of homeless peopleand detaining them in facilities during the gamesis not unusual. 9000 people were arrested inAtlanta under special laws enacted to assist the“clean-up”, Seoul’s clean-up operation involveddetaining people in facilities outside the city, 300homeless people in Osaka were similarly affectedbefore the 2002 FIFA World Cup, “undesirables”were prohibited from sleeping and doing businessin Bangkok during the 1988 Asian Games, andhomeless people were also displaced in Chicago inhonour of the 1994 World Cup.The only silver lining unearthed by COHRE in thisregard is that there some are instances wherehost cities try to protect vulnerable populations.Vancouver which is set to stage the WinterOlympics in 2010 makes a series of commitmentsto ensure that housing for local populations willnot be adversely affected in its bid document.In Sydney, the government was pressured intoinstituting a protocol to ensure that homelesspeople would not be targeted for removal duringthe Olympic Games.Gentrification and its associated impacts is oneof the major social fallouts of mega-sport eventsthat go unacknowledged by official evaluations ofsporting events, which have a tendency to focuson volunteer programmes and sports participation,and sporting legacies that they leave behind.However, the usefulness of the ‘legacy’ of sportingfacilities also needs to be questioned as the factthat Stadium Australia, constructed for the SydneyOlympics has not found any sustainable use and,the stadium incurred operating losses of Aus $11.1million and the total subsidies were Aus $46 millionannually for unprofitable Olympic venues, fouryears after the event. Similarly, Munich’s OlympicPark shows annual losses of more than US $30million. 2 When common people don’t require worldclass, facilities with prohibitive entry and accessfees, there is no guarantee that a sporting legacyleft behind for the host city will be a positivesocial outcome.End Notes1. COHRE (2007) “Fair Play for Housing Rights: Mega Events, Olympic Games and Housing Rights: Opportunities for the Olympic Movementand Others”, Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions2. Wildsmith, James and Bradfield, Michael (2007) “Halifax Commonwealth Games Bid: Were the Costs and Benefits Assessed?” CanadianCentre for Policy Alternatives101

Annexure 8: Evictions in Delhidirectly attributable to CWG 2010Date/Year2004200612 th January2009LocationEviction along thebanks of the YamunaSettlements at BanuwalNagar, VikaspuridemolishedMCD demolished GadiaLohar BastiQuantum ofDisplacements/Evictions35000 familiesAround 15 jhuggiesand part of a largersettlement of 1000jhuggies. Displacedmore than 200 peopleReasons and Other ObservationsTowards a beautification and tourism projecton land that is adjacent to the CommonwealthGames VillageTowards constructing a road under bridgeconnecting Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium toThyagraj Stadium. A writ petition was filedin 2009 seeking the court’s intervention torehabilitate the petitioners. The MCD insistedthat the demolition was carried out afterreceiving prior “no-objection certificate”from the Slum Department. The settlementwas neither notified nor covered underany rehabilitation programme of the DelhiGovernmentJune 2009MCD demolished a slumcluster alongside adrain behind JawaharlalNehru StadiumThose displacedincluded over 50 peoplesuffering from a highdegree of disabilityDone to make way for a parking lot in view ofthe Commonwealth Games in the Capital in 201025 th November2009MCD demolished KirtiNagar348 slum housesNo proper notices, or alternative allotmentprovided2009MCD demolished asettlement in J. PrabhuMarket and PrabhuMarket Extension nearLodi ColonyMCD officialsdemolished a nightshelter for thehomeless at Pusa RoadRoundabout (RachnaGolchakkar)1000 residentsTowards a parking lot to come up along KushakNullah near the Seva Nagar Railway Crossing forthe opening and closing ceremony of the games.24 th December2009250 homeless peopleReason for the demolition of the shelter was togrow grass as part of the “beautification” drivein the run-up to the Commonwealth Games. Thisleft many without shelter in the bitter cold, andofficials also confiscated their blankets. Twodeaths reported.15 th April 2010Slum cluster atJangpura’s BarapullahNullah bull dozed368 families of DalitTamilsDone in order to construct a parking lot for theGames. The Tamils had been living there forthe past 35 years. They have not received anycompensation or rehabilitationNear Barapullah Nullah400 jhuggies likely to bedemolishedThe road will connect the CommonwealthGames Village to Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.Construction work is likely to be completed byJune 2010. Despite the fact that authorities planto demolish this settlement, the modalities ofrehabilitation have still not been worked out. AnMCD survey revealed that most families living inthese jhuggies are eligible for rehabilitation.The Delhi Govt. hasprepared a list of 44jhuggi jhopadi clusterswhich would berelocated prior to theCWG 2010 under theRajiv Awas Yojna. TheDelhi Shramik Sangathanputs the figure to bedisplaced at 30,000-40,000 familiesSource: HLRN (2010): “The 2010 Commonwealth Games: Whose Wealth? Whose Commons?”102

Annexure 9:Countries in the global south who havedeclared zero tolerance against child sexualabuse in tourism/signed the Code of ConductKenya:In 2006, the Kenyan Tourism Ministry, alongwith the Kenyan Association of Hotel Keepersand Caterers and Respect, introduced the‘International Code of Conduct for the Protectionof Children from Sexual Exploitation in Travel andTourism.Source: “Sex tourism rising rapidly inKenya, reveals UNICEF survey” http://www.dancewithshadows.com/travel/sex-tourism-kenya.aspThailand:Independent agencies and private sector actorshave also taken the initiative to protect children inthe absence of a coherent Thai national programto fight the sexual exploitation of children.Working with ECPAT, an international network oforganizations working to eliminate the commercialsexual exploitation of children, the World TourismOrganization (WTO), and UNICEF, Thailand’sTourism Authority (TAT) has adopted the Codeof Conduct for the Protection of Children fromSexual Exploitation in Travel and Tourism.Source: http://www.thailawforum.com/sex-crimesin-thailand-part3-2.htmlSri Lanka:Zero tolerance for child sex tourism in Sri Lanka:In June 2006, Sri Lanka Tourist Board, with UNICEFsupport, launches action plan against Child SexTourism.Source: http://www.unicef.org/media/media_34596.htmlSouth Africa:In 2010 FTTSA announced the first ever South AfricaCode signatories on the eve of the 2010 FIFA WorldCup.CEO of Cape Town Tourism, Mariette du-ToitHelmbold, takes seriously the subject of child sextourism and human trafficking; “We are pleased tohave the backing of the South African governmentand Fair Trade in Tourism South Africa (FTTSA),as well as Cape Town Tourism members behindour message to people coming to Cape Townwith the intention of causing trouble. Cape TownTourism has always maintained that there is a darkunderbelly to tourism that ultimately needs to beproactively dealt with. The sexual exploitationof women and children is a global problem, but itoften goes hand in hand with developing societiessuch as ours and major international events likethe FIFA World Cup,” Du-Toit goes on to say,”CapeTown’s message to the world is simple; If youare coming to our city to take advantage of ourchildren, you are not welcome!”.Source: http://www.traveldailynews.com/pages/show_page/37465-The-Tourism-Child-Protection-Code-of-Conduct-is-launched-in-Cape-TownIn other countries such like Cuba, DominicanRepublic, Costa Rica, Ivory Coast, Maldives, Peru,Philippines to work on the code of conduct isongoing.103

Annexure 10:Working around the EIA: Extracts fromthe PIL indicating the events leading to theGames Village getting an EIA clearance.(Rajendra Singh & Others vs. Govt. Of Delhi andOthers, Constitution Filing No. 134027/2007)Clause 1 (vi) of the Environmental Clearanceletter dated 14th December,2006 1 stated “Sincethe design of the proposed structures is yet tobe made, so far as possible, the works should notbe of a permanent nature. It should be possibleto take this point into consideration and adoptdismantable structures. Unless detailed studieslead to the conclusion that the proposed structurescan be left behind permanently, the proposalsshould proceed with the assumption that theriverbed may have to be restored to the river.”In a modification letter dated 22 nd January,2007 2 , the above clause was expanded with theaddition that “[The] DDA could go ahead with theplanning of their construction works, permanentor temporary, subject to the condition thatthe actual work on permanent structures willnot start till such a time that the mitigation/abatement measures against the upstreamflooding are identified after the Studies and theirimplementation begun in such a way that thework is completed on or before the date when thebuildings will be completed.” The modificationletter dated March 29, 2007 3 mitigation andabatement measures against upstream floodingidentified in the study by Central Water and PowerResearch Station (CWPRS), Pune.In a final modification letter dated April 02, 2007 4 ,the entire clause was replaced with “the DDAcould go ahead with their construction works,permanent or temporary, subject to the conditionthat the following mitigative/abatement measuresagainst upstream flooding as identified in the studyby Central Water and Power Research Station(CWPRS), Pune, shall be completed on or beforethe date when the buildings for the Commonwealthgames will be completed.” A significant omissionin the final form the clause has been given is thatit does not acknowledge that the structure will belaid out on the riverbed.The events that lead to the series of modificationsthat one conditional clause were subjected tois deeply disturbing. The clause has undergonesignificant changes even though the EAC meetingwith the officers of the DDA on 01.12.2006 resultedin the EAC opining (as officially recorded) that “theDDA is not able to provide an assessment of theloss of recharge of ground water and magnitudeof efflux in the river resulting from the proposedworks and the curtailment of the width of the riverto provide space for the proposals”. The EAC alsorecords that “While the Committee does not doubtthat time has become a constraint, the Committeeis not convinced that their environmental impactsand their mitigation have been studied to asatisfactory level. Under the circumstances, thecommittee will go by the “Precautionary Principle”and emphasise the point that as far as possible,the proposed works should not be of permanentnature. Since the design of structures is still notmade, it should be possible to take this point intoconsideration and adopt dismantleble structures.Unless detailed studies [....] lead to the conclusionthat the structures can be left behind permanently,the proposal should proceed with the assumptionthat the river bed may have to be restored to theriver.”Thus the EAC very clearly rejected the idea ofchanging the conditional clause with respect toallowing permanent structures on river bed, andhas not been involved in subsequent modificationsto the clearance letter, as was confirmed by Mr.Ravindran, 5 a member of the EAC.Subsequent to the rejection of the request by theEAC, file notings dated 12 th December 2006 byJoint Secretary J.M Mauskar, says “For solicitingkind approval of M(EF) to grant EC as above,at this juncture since DDA is pressing hard”and is followed up with a file noting dated 13 thDecember 2006 initialled as AS(SB) saying “Someother concerns are difficult for DDA to complyimmediately and time is a major constraint.We may therefore incorporate them also in the104

clearance letter. With all conditions stipulated, anenvironmental clearance letter may be issued”.Despite the DDA’s pressure, the original EC letterwas released on 14 th December 2006 with noleniency being shown to the DDA with respect toallowing for permanent structures on the riverbed.However, file notings by Additional Director, K.C.Rathore on meetings held on 9 th , 10 th and 16 thJanuary 2007 say that “[the] DDA has informedthat they are going ahead with the planning andconstruction of the structure to meet deadlines”and then a similar noting dated 07 th March 2007says that “The DDA has informed that they are“going ahead” with the construction of residentialunits (on permanent basis) and other structureswhich is not in conformity with the conditionnumber “para VI of Part A- Specific Conditions ofEC issued by the Ministry.End Notes1. Ministry of Environment and Forests (2006) Letter No. 21-475/2006-IA.III Commonwealth Games Village, Delhi, by M/s Delhi DevelopmentAuthority, New Delhi – Environment Clearance – regarding; 14 December2. Ministry of Environment and Forests (2007) Letter No. 21-475/2006-IA-III, Regarding Environmental Clearance issued vide letter No. 21-475/2006-IA.III dated 14.12.2006 for Commonwealth Games Village, Delhi; 22 January3. Ministry of Environment and Forests (2007) Letter No. 21-475/2006-IA-III, Regarding Environmental Clearance issued vide letter No. 21-475/2006-IA.III dated 14.12.2006 and amended vide letter dated 22.1.2007 for Commonwealth Games Village, Delhi; 29 March4. Ministry of Environment and Forests (2007), Letter No. 21-475/2006-IA-III, Regarding Environmental Clearance issued vide letter No. 21-475/2006-IA.III dated 14.12.2006 and amended vide letters dated 22.1.2007 and 29.3.2007 for Commonwealth Games Village, Delhi; 02 April5. K.T Ravindran, Urban Designer, School of Planning and Architecture, in an interview with EQUATIONS on 4 th March 2010105

TheCommonwealthCasualtiesTracing how mega-sports events are used as a strategyfor growth and global recognition the report attempts tounderstand what India hopes to achieve politically and indevelopment terms by staging the Commonwealth Games2010. The history of India’s bid, the story of exponentiallygrowing budgets and the pledging of public funds, all inthe name of national pride are examined.A significant part of the report is focussed on tourism andthe Games. The report examines critically the hopes andmyths, as well as assumptions and mental models aboutthe tourism potential of the Games. Linked to this arethe preparations being undertaken for tourists, the spilloverpotential of the Games and making the city of Delhia more hospitable environment for foreign tourists. Oneof the key aspects of that idea is the transformation ofDelhi into a world class city.Calling for a re-visioning of tourism policy and practisein India the research study debunks the myth of tourismbeing used as a development tool – indicating howit addresses only the needs of an elite section of theindustry and tourists.The social, cultural, economic, environmental, political,and human rights impacts ensuing from the preparationsunder way are examined. In particular, the place ofaccountability, democratic process and public consensusin hosting the CWG 2010 in Delhi are explored. The reportconcludes that scant attention is paid to the impacts ofthese decisions and developments - some being labelledas unintended consequences and others simply dismissedas collateral damage.EQUATIONS is a research, advocacy and campaigning organisation working on the impacts oftourism on local communities in India. Supporting grassroots struggles against unsustainabletourism developments and practices, it calls for policies that ensure equitable, democraticand non-exploitative forms of tourism development.www.equitabletourism.org