A couple of days ago six Delhi University colleges asked students to vacate their hostels by the end of this month so that these could be renovated and made fit to house sportspersons and officials who would be participating in the Commonwealth Games. Now comes the news that 50 community halls in the city have been given out to the paramilitary personnel who would be moving in to provide security to the games’ venues and sportspersons. What next? Will the government take over private garages to accommodate vehicles which would be hired for the visiting sportspersons and the officials?

It seems the organising committee of the Commonwealth Games is in panic and all its planning and preparations have gone haywire. Or does it suddenly realise that there would be such an overwhelming rush for the games that all available space needs to be booked? Just the other day, Suresh Kalmadi, who heads the games’ organising committee, assured the Prime Minister that the Games will be the best ever organised in India. Do you think so? Looking at the last-minute grabbing of space and facilities, does it give you confidence that the Games will be the best?