In a major embarrassment for organisers of the Commonwealth Games, an under-construction foot over-bridge on Tuesday collapsed outside the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium, the main venue of the Commonwealth Games, injuring 23 labourers.
In addition, 22,533 'Make in India' ventilators have been delivered to various states, Union territories and central institutions, the ministry said, adding that the Centre is also ensuring the installation and commissioning of the machines.
The CBI registered a case of fraud and criminal conspiracy against suspended Prasar Bharti CEO B S Lalli and Chairman and Managing Director of Delhi-based Zoom Communications Wasim Dehlvi for alleged irregularities in broadcasting rights contract of Commonwealth Games which resulted in a loss of Rs 100 crore to exchequer.
The Central Bureau of Investigation's probe into the Commonwealth Games scam on Wednesday came under the scanner, with a Delhi court asking it why the agency has not arrested the officials of the Organising Committee, who allegedly accepted huge bribes for awarding contracts at exorbitant rates."Why are you not arresting the receivers of the bribe amount," Special CBI Judge O P Saini said.
The organisers of the 2010 Commonwealth Games to be held in Delhi have claimed that the venues would be ready by the end of 2009.
With the Omicron variant of coronavirus slowly spreading its tentacles in the country, a number of states enhanced surveillance to trace, track and quarantine contacts of COVID-19 positive persons while Delhi began genome sequencing of samples of all infected people and has prohibited Christmas and New Year gatherings.
Indian shuttlers Parupalli Kashyap, R M V Gurusaidutt and P C Thulasi entered the quarter-finals of badminton competition at the 20th Commonwealth Games.
Mohali-based entrepreneur Manpreet Singh Walia had never imagined he would have an edge over suppliers from China and South Africa in providing sports mechandise for the XIX Commonwealth Games being held in New Delhi.
Thousands of used condoms have reportedly clogged the drains of the Delhi Commonwealth Games accommodation towers at the athletes' village after being flushed down toilets by competitors.
Australian and English swimmers are complaining of illness at the Delhi Commonwealth Games and the reason might be "contaminated" water in the pool.
In what would be music to ears of the Indian organisers, Australia's Commonwealth Games Association chief Perry Crosswhite said the condition of the Games Village is "acceptable" as of now and also confirmed arrival of their contingent for the Games.
'Organising Committee Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi would like to state that we have followed due diligence in making all payments, getting the clearances from the Executive Board and from Reserve Bank of India for incurring the expenditure in foreign currency. All remittances happened against this clearance,' OC spokesperson Lalit Bhanot said in a statement.
An inspection by the Central Vigilance Commission has found serious discrepancies like award of works at higher rates to bidders, poor quality of construction and grant of work to ineligible agencies in different Commonwealth Games-related construction works being carried out by various departments in Delhi.
Engulfed in a spate of corruption scandals, the Commonweath Games organising committee was on Friday dealt another blow with merchandising company Premier Brands pulling out of the mega event.
Continuing his tirade against the just-concluded Commonwealth Games, former Sports Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar said India should have focused on improving the plight of its poor instead of spending thousands of crores on the event which only "denigrated" its image.
Mike Fennell, President of the Commonwealth Games Federation, was more than assertive when he held the Organising Committee of the Delhi Commonwealth Games responsible for the mess and delay in building infrastructure for the Games scheduled to be held in New Delhi from October 3-14.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Home Minister P Chidambaram said the security overlays in the games clusters will be completed by September 15. He also said security agencies would start carrying out mock drills at the venues.
Many senior Congressmen in New Delhi are irritated to see Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit taking exclusive credit for cleaning up the Commonwealth Games village in four days.
Olympic gold medallist shooter Abhinav Bindra, ace shuttler Saina Nehwal and boxing hero Vijender Singh are among six sportspersons who were named brand ambassadors on Tuesday for the upcoming Commonwealth Games.
Wales have given Delhi organisers until later on Wednesday to guarantee that the Commonwealth Games venues and athletes' village are safe for the country's 200 athletes.
Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs, headed by Dr MS Gill, has officially released the details of the money sanctioned by Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh to train coaches, athletes both in India as well as abroad and giving exposure to the athletes in various international events in order to prepare them for 19th Commonwealth Games that was held in New Delhi from October 3-14.
The committee will float the tender by September 15, less than three weeks before the Games begin in New Delhi.
Their talks in New York might not have materialised, but External Affairs Minister S M Krishna has invited his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi to visit India to witness the Commonwealth Games.
Aiming to keep their perfect record at the Commonwealth Games intact, defending champions Australia on Wednesday announced a 16-member hockey squad for the October 3-14 mega-event in Delhi.
The All India Tennis Association (AITA) on Thursday dismissed media reports that the star quartet of Mahesh Bhupathi, Leander Paes, Somdev Devvarman and Rohan Bopanna has threatened to pull out of the Commonwealth Games due to non-clearance of Davis Cup dues and lack of financial assistance for preparations.
Overall, the record stands 1-1 between the two sides as Pakistan had the last laugh in the 2006 Games in Melbourne.
With less than 90 days left for the Commonwealth Games, a leading US-based strategic think tank has warned that athletes will be most vulnerable to terrorist attacks while in transit to and from the venues.
The BCCI ruled out participation in the 2010 Commonwealth Games citing a packed schedule of the Indian team.
Less than 50,000 new cases of the coronavirus infection have been reported in the country in a span of 24 hours, whereas the daily new recoveries have exceeded 54,000.
According to sources, around 25 hotels would benefit from this move and as a consequence the government would have access to 2,000 more rooms for the Commonwealth Games.
Union Sports Minister M S Gill on Monday inspected the 2010 Commonwealth Games venues in New Delhi and expressed satisfaction at the pace of preparation for the quadrennial sporting extravaganza.
Commonwealth Games Federation chief Michael Fennell, who had only last month expressed concern at the tardy preparation for the 2010 edition of the Games, is now satisfied with the progress, organisers claimed on Saturday.
The extent to which the relationship between Commonwealth Games Federation CEO Mike Hooper and the 2010 Games Organising Committee (OC) has soured was evident when organizing committee officials tried to stop the New Zealander from addressing the media at their headquarters in New Delhi.
The BCCI has not got the clearance to include cricket in the 2010 New Delhi Commonwealth Games
After early setbacks, India is back on track to host a successful Commonwealth Games next October, but there is absolutely no margin to ease up on preparations, Games federation president Mike Fennell says.
A 350-member team has been put in place to prepare for the Commonwealth Games in Delhi.
With 17,51,555 people defeating the disease, the recovery rate has surged to 71.17 per cent.
It will be a tough ask for Indian athletes to replicate their performance of the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games at this year's event in Glasgow.
Air India is the official airline partner for the mega sporting event starting in Delhi from October 3. A passenger can avail of these two short-term promotional schemes between October 1 and November 14, Air India said.
Le Clos, however, was only able to clinch gold in the 50m butterfly in the first final of second day's programme and faded over the last leg to finish seventh in the 200m freestyle. South Africa finished sixth in the 4x100m relay.