I have been coming to Delhi for the past five years, sometimes staying just a month, sometimes six or longer, in winter or summer. Each time I come back I am astonished by new developments and changes in the city. But aside from the more prominent improvements such as the Metro, more malls and what have you, I notice that certain sidewalks are replaced at regular intervals especially around India Gate and nearby major avenues. This must be a well-liked pastime. Certainly good business for concrete companies.

Water collects by a sidewalk in Connaught Place

Even in my East Delhi neighborhood, roads are never in a state of peace. As a frequent walker, I find Delhi rather nightmarish for pedestrians and my husband often laughs at me for stumbling so much: “Look down!” he would yell.

But currently stumbling is all one can do. Delhiites are faced with the mother of all street works. The Commonwealth Games made it possible. For the improvement of the city, every nook and cranny seems to be turned upside down. Not only stadiums and sport venues, major roads and new flyovers are rising up all around us (though looking far from ready to accomodate the expected onslaught of sportspeople and spectators).

CP's inner circle is no place for a walk

No, it seems the entire city of Delhi has been dug up. Khan Market, Saket, South Ex and the entire Connaught Place consist of nothing but rubble, sandpiles, heaps of bricks, gaping holes in the ground and traffic detours.

Certainly we all appreciate the beauty makeover of CP and Janpath, but is it necessary to do it in small increments, just enough so there would always be enough construction to make it impossible to go where you want to go? Just when you thought you had figured out a certain path to your destination, next time you tried taking the same route you were in for a surprise.

Autos have to wade through the water on the streets near ITO

Trying to walk into the inner circle of CP – pardon me, Rajiv Chowk –  is nothing compared to a hiking trip in the Himalayas. Don’t forget to pack patience, time and bring a whistle too.

That is not all residents of India’s capital have to deal with prior to the big sports event. We have an unpredictable force of nature to reckon with: monsoon time is here. Last year I came on the 14th of August and the rains had just begun, and in buckets they came down. Forget “cats and dogs”, cows and bulls would have described it better. This year the experts were keeping pushing the arrival date back a bit further every week, allowing for more work to be completed merely in dust, not standing in mud.

Because, fellow citizens, one thing is certain: those sand piles we now begrudgingly climb will turn into evil mud slides washing along the whole length of the street, getting into more than just our sandals, worse they will fill the gaping construction holes when they still need to be open, they will make a nasty path of slime, unconquerable for some of us, and make the city stink to high heavens.

Cable and pipe workers might get stuck from their waists down, beautifully frozen in time like the statues on Corronation Grounds. We will hastily run by them waving, busy to save our own mud pasted selves. Major throughways which the monsoon turns into public pools will this year become bogs and swamps.

A bus makes it way through a waterlogged road near Mori Gate

After the BP fiasco in the Gulf of Mexico, this year there might be new wildlife in Delhi: mud turtles, mud snails and mud worms! Or the whole city might be renamed Hog Town: Swine would come from near and far frolicking and lolloping in mud. If people were really daring, they could become events unto themselves and start mudwrestling contests. Especially popular among men when women are the contestants. But I doubt Delhi is ready for that much fun. Mudwrestling in saris could cause Hindu riots.

No one stays dry on the roads near ITO - whether on a bike or inside an auto

Seriously speaking, public transportation, power support and much other needed necessities will most likely become much worse if not impossible to provide with mud all around. Driving through water is one thing, driving through mud another story. When CWG officials visited Delhi last year to inspect progress on the constructions, they were not amused, the blame buckets were passed around. However, timely completion of all projects was promised (what else could be done).

A pump would be more effective on this road near ITO

Looking at Delhi three months before the Games begin, we are not so sure. Don’t we see clearly that “better late than never” may not work for this city and these Games? Now we can only ask the rain gods for a lightly trickling monsoon and hope our oppressed streets will have closed their gaps by October 3.

A water logged road near Mori Gate
But before then: happy mudslinging. There might even be free stone throwing or marble plate hauling events near India Gate. Be on the lookout! Oh, here is the rain now.

All pictures by Ravi Chaudhary