CWG 2010: Indian officials say they have proved all venues are safe - India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

Indian officials associated with the preparations of the 2010 Commonwealth Games to be held in New Delhi from October 3 to 14, have claimed that they have delivered proof that all of the sporting venues are safe to operate for the event. With only nine days remaining before thousands of athletes start arriving in the Indian capital, the Organising Committee (OC) announced that it had delivered all completion certificates for all 17 sporting venues and the athletes village to Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) chief executive Mike Hooper. "We got copies of the completion certificates given by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi to the venue owners today and, as promised, handed them over to Mr Hooper," the New Zealand Herald quoted OC chief executive Suresh Kalmadi, as saying in a statement from Delhi late on Monday. He added: "We are confident that the Commonwealth Games Federation and its members will be satisfied." Last weekend, Hooper said he had received occupancy certificates for only the athletes village and three of the venues and that he expected the rest of the certificates this week. In late July, India's anti-corruption watchdog threatened to derail preparations for the Games by citing suspected dodgy building practices and making accusations that construction firms had inflated their costs. The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) inspected 15 roadway projects and sporting venues and found substandard concrete and steel works. The watchdog also revealed that regulatory approvals for the work had been forged. Hooper said on Sunday that he trusted the government to provide the CGF with legitimate proof that the venues are of sound construction and safe to occupy. But he was still trying to work out if the occupancy certificates where the documentation that the CGF were after. "I assume that's what is required," Hooper said. The Indian government has given a deadline of September 15 for final work on all of the venues to be completed.