The Hindu : New Delhi News : “Shift Games venue to Safdarjung airport”

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Wednesday, Feb 13, 2008
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New Delhi

“Shift Games venue to Safdarjung airport”

Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI: Suggesting an alternative site for the Commonwealth Games-2010, Magsaysay Award winner “Waterman” Rajendra Singh on Tuesday asked the Delhi Development Authority to change the venue of the event from the Yamuna riverbed in East Delhi to Safdarjung airport in South Delhi.

Mr. Singh made this suggestion through his lawyer while making his submission on his public interest litigation opposing construction of the Games village on the Yamuna riverbed near the Akshardham Temple.

‘Unable’

The DDA has already expressed its inability to change the site of the Games Village saying there is not enough time left for locating a new venue.

Mr. Singh submitted that the airport was spread over about 200 acres and had no connectivity problems.

The Union Ministry for Environment and Forests earlier had also suggested the airport as a site for the international even but the DDA had rejected it on the ground that it fell in the high-security zone and that the land did not belong to it.

Mr. Singh further suggested to the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation to shift its proposed depot on the Yamuna riverbed to Anand Vihar in East Delhi.

The petitioner has challenged proposals to raise concrete structures on the riverbed, including the Games Village, on the ground that it would hinder groundwater recharge and environment regeneration.

The DDA has planned to build a residential complex of 1,160 flats in the Games Village to accommodate athletes coming to participate in the event.

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