India's Commonwealth Games quest

Last Modified: 30 Apr 2007
By: Kylie Morris

India is hosting the Commonwealth Games in 2010 and not content with that it is also pitching to host the Olympics in 2020.

However its challenges are immense.

The ancient game of mud wrestling is as Indian as sport gets.

Men from the villages join their trainers and are hopeful to wrestle on mats in the Commonwealth Games.

Coach and former Olympic wrestler Rhotas Singh Dahiya says: "There is no shortage of talent in India but we need more competition and better facilities because the Games are coming here, people are very enthusiastic which will help us perform better and win medals."

The dynamic image promoted by India's games campaign is at odds with the city's dilapidated sports infrastructure. Not much moves fast on these tracks. The Government says it will spend more than a billion pounds rebuilding sports stadiums.

Although that is not its most expensive promise, work has begun on what is known as a master plan, to beautify and modernise the capital itself.

A temple on the banks of the river is designed to showcase Indian culture to those coming to the Commonwealth Games but the 250,000 people are estimated to have been moved on from the river banks its construction and for the proposed construction of the athlete's village.

Those who live in Delhi's ubiquitous slums are bracing themselves for their makeover, city authorities have taken to arriving in the middle of the night, knocking down their houses and clearing the way for new roads.

People would like a world class city with better transport links, reliable electricity and water but only if they can live there.

Authorities say there will be no litter, beggars or cattle will wander onto the streets in 2010, it doesn't seem sporting but the government wants a fast-tracked future and says nothing will slow it down.