The 2010 Commonwealth Games are the nineteenth edition of the Commonwealth Games, and

the ninth to be held under that name. The Games are scheduled to be held in New Delhi, India
between 3 October and 14 October 2010. The games will be the largest multi-sport event
conducted to date in New Delhi and India generally, which has previously hosted the Asian
Games in 1951 and 1982. The opening ceremony is scheduled to take place at the Jawaharlal
Nehru Stadium in New Delhi. It will also be the first time the Commonwealth Games will be
held in India and the second time the event has been held in Asia (after 1998 in Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia).

In addition to the Commonwealth Games, the city of Pune, India hosted the 3rd Commonwealth
Youth Games between October 12 and 18, 2008. The Youth Games offered nine sports: athletics,
badminton, boxing, shooting, swimming, table tennis, tennis, weightlifting and wrestling.

Games Preparation
In January 2005, the Commonwealth Games Federation vice-president Raja Randhir Singh
expressed concern that Delhi was behind schedule in forming and organising committee. On 18
January 2008, however, the Commonwealth Games Federation expressed its approval of Delhi's
progress.

On 15 October 2009, Jarnail Singh, a former Secretary of the Government of India was
appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of the Organising Committee.

India's Sports Minister will head the apex committee for conducting the games while the Indian
Olympic Association president Suresh Kalmadi will head the organising committee. The Games
will be held from the 3rd to 14 October 2010.

The total budget estimated for hosting the 19th Commonwealth is US$ 1.6 billion and this
amount excludes non sports related infrastructure development in the city like airports,roads and
other structures. This makes the 2010 Commonwealth Games as the most expensive
Commonwealth Games ever (compared to Manchester 2002 - approx. US$420 million, and
Melbourne 2006 - approx. US$ 1.1 billion).

Organising committee

The office of the Organising Committee is in Connaught Place. It is a nine-storey building, built
by the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) in front of Jantar Mantar, where all information
regarding the Games can be obtained.

Infrastructure

To get ready for the huge influx of tourists visiting Delhi during the Games, the Government of
India has taken many steps to improve the city. This includes city beautification, transportation
development, upgrading of many old structures etc
Transport

Main article: Transport in Delhi

Road Transport

Delhi proposed a four-lane, 2.2 km underground stretch from Lodhi Road to trans-Yamuna,
linking the Games Village to the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium and reducing traveling time for
athletes traveling between the Village and the Stadium by six minutes.

In response to concerns over the large number of trains that pass by the Delhi metropolitan
region daily, construction of road under-bridges and over-bridges along railway lines has been
started.

To expand road infrastructure, flyovers, cloverleaf flyovers, and bridges have been planned to
provide connectivity to the Games Village, to sports venues, to hospitals, and for intra-city
connectivity. Road-widening projects have been under process, with an emphasis being placed
on expanding national highways. To improve traffic flow on existing road, plans are underway to
make both the inner and outer Ring roads signal free.

To support its commitment to mass transport, nine corridors have been identified and are being
constructed as High Capacity Bus Systems (for example, one from Ambedkar Nagar to Red
Fort). Six of these corridors are expected to be operational in 2010.

Delhi Metro

Additionally, The Delhi Metro will be expanded to accommodate more people and boost the use
of public transport during the 2010 games. By then it will have the second longest network in the
world and later the longest, which will be more than 420 km. The coverage has been exteded to
the Satellite city of Noida and another route is going to soon open up from Gurgaon. To achieve
this exponential increase in the network's length, the Delhi Metro has deployed 14 tunnel boring
machines (TBMs). The Delhi Metro reports that no country in Asia has ever put to work so many
TBMs at the same time.

Air Transport
To further support air travel, the Indira Gandhi International Airport is being modernized,
expanded, and upgraded. By the 2010 games, a new terminal (Terminal 3) will have been
constructed at a cost of nearly US$ 1.94 billion, with the capability to cater to more than 37
million passengers a year by 2010 and the planned expansion program will increase its capacity
to handle 100 million passengers by 2030. Terminal 3 will be a two tier building, with the
bottom floor being the arrivals area, and the top being a departures area. This terminal will have
over 130 check-in counters, 55 aerobridges, 30 parking bays, 72 immigration counters, 15 X-ray
screening areas, duty free shops, and much more. The airport will also have a new runway to
cater more than 75 plus flights an hour; the runway will be more than 4400 meters long and one
of Asia's longest. The entire airport will be connected to the city via a 6 lane highway (National
Highway 8) and the Delhi Metro.

Energy consumption

To prepare for the energy-usage spike during the Games and to end chronic power cuts in Delhi,
the government is undertaking a large power-production initiative to increase power production
to 7,000 MW (from the current 4,500 MW). To achieve this goal, the government plans to
streamline the power distribution process, direct additional energy to Delhi, and construct new
power plants. In fact, the government has promised that by the end of 2010, Delhi will have a
surplus of power.

Security

In preparation for the Games and to promote security at major tourist destinations, Indian states
will be deploying a force of "tourist police" far before the Games begin. These tourism police are
regular state police forces, but will be trained to handle tourist-related aspects. A number of
states have already implemented this program; other states are expected to emulate this model
within the end of the year.

Delays

In September 2009, Commonwealth Games federation chief Mike Fennell reported that the
games were at risk of falling behind schedule and that it was "reasonable to conclude that the
current situation poses a serious risk to the Commonwealth Games in 2010". A report by the
Indian Government released several months prior found that construction work on 13 out of the
19 sports venues was behind schedule. The Chief of the Indian Olympic Association Randhir
Singh has also called expressed his concerns regarding the current state of affairs. Singh has
called for the revamp of the games' organizing committees commenting that India now has to
"retrieve the games".Other Indian officials have also expressed dismay at the ongoing delays but
they have stated that they are confident that India will successfully host the games and do so on
time..

The Queen's Baton Relay

The Queen's Baton 2010 Delhi containing Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II's 'message to the
athletes' left The Buckingham Palace on 29 October 2009. The baton will arrive at the Opening
Ceremony of the XIX Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi some 11 months later on 3 October
2010, after visiting the other 70 nations of the Commonwealth and travelling throughout
India.The Queen's Baton Relay 2010 Delhi will take the baton to the home of one third of the
world's population, enabling many millions of people across the globe to join in the celebrations
for the Games.

The Queen's Baton 2010 Delhi is a fusion of handcrafted elements interplayed with a precision
engineered body, and ornamented with an intricate hand layered soil pattern.The shape and
design of the baton is created using a triangular section of aluminium which has been twisted in
the form of a helix and then coated with a diverse range of coloured soils collected from all
corners of India. The interweaving of coloured soils, including white sands, deep reds, warm
yellows, dark browns and an array of other hues creates a very distinctive design, form and
texture never before seen in the styling of a Queen's Baton.

The very essence of India with its diversity and unrelenting endeavour towards a harmonious and
progressive nation has shaped the inspiration of the baton. Culminating at the pinnacle of the
Queen's Baton 2010 Delhi is a precious jewellery box containing the Queen's 'message to the
athletes'. The Queen's message has been symbolically engraved onto a miniature 18 carat gold
leaf, representative of the ancient Indian 'patras'. Modern laser technology known as micro
calligraphy has been used for the first time to reproduce the Queen's message in this method.

The Queen`s Baton 2010 Delhi stands at 664 millimetres high is 34 millimetres wide at the base,
and 86 millimetres wide at the top and weighs a mere 1,900 grams. The baton’s ergonomic
contours allow for convenient holding and good balance.

The Queen`s Baton has been created using processes and technologies existing in India by Foley
Design in partnership with Titan Industries and a technology consortium led by Bharat
Electronics Limited.

The technology features of The Queen’s Baton for Delhi 2010 include:

 The ability to capture images and sound as it travels throughout all nations of the
Commonwealth;
 The latest global positioning system (GPS) technology through which the exact location
of the baton can be tracked on the XIX Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi website;
 Embedded light emitting diodes (LEDs) which will change into the colours of a country’s
flag whilst in that country; and
 Text messaging capability so that anyone anywhere can send their messages of
congratulations and encouragement to the Batonbearers throughout the Queen`s Baton
Relay 2010 Delhi.

The baton was designed by Michael Foley, A graduate of the National Institute of Design

Mascot - Shera
Shera, mascot of the XIX Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi, is the most visible face of the XIX
Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi. His name comes from the Hindi word Sher – meaning Tiger.
Shera truly represents the modern Indian. He is an achiever with a positive attitude, a global
citizen but justifiably proud of his nation’s ancient heritage, a fierce competitor but with integrity
and honesty. Shera is also a ‘large-hearted gentleman’ who loves making friends and enthusing
people to ‘come out and play’.

In Indian mythology, the tiger is associated with Goddess Durga, the embodiment of Shakti (or
female power) and the vanquisher of evil. She rides her powerful vehicle – the tiger – into
combat, especially in her epic and victorious battle against Mahishasur, a dreaded demon.

Green Games

Logo for the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games being recognized as the first ever "Green
Commonwealth Games"

The construction and renovation of the venues for the XIX Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi
are being undertaken keeping in mind the Green vision of the Games. Measures in terms of
energy efficiency, water conservation, etc., have been taken to reduce the carbon emissions from
Games related activities. One of the venues of the Games, the Thyagaraj Stadium, is going to be
a model Green Stadium with world class facilities in India. The Games Village which will house
over 8,000 athletes and officials for the Games is also proposed to be setting new standards for
green infrastructure.

The strategic intention of hosting ‘sustainable games’ has been pursued by signing a
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United Nations Environment Programme. This
strategic intention has been initiated for supporting environmental activities by UNEP related to
planning and staging of the XIX Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi. UNEP has agreed to
provide necessary technical support for the Games.

Spoken English Skills

In preparation for a rush of English-speaking tourists for the Games, the Delhi government is
implementing a program to teach English to low-income individuals who will have a high-
frequency of contact with tourists. This subset includes city cab drivers, waiters, gatemen, and
service staff. Over the past two years, the city has successfully taught 2,000 drivers English, and
is continuing the program to reach as many as possible before the Games. The city plans to teach
1,000 people English per month, and hopes to reach everyone necessary by March 2010.

In view of the upcoming Commonwealth Games 2010 in Delhi, the Home Guards and Civil
Defence Directorate has initiated a programme to train its personnel in spoken English. British
Lingua, a Delhi based English language training institution is aiding the personnel to polish their
spoken English skills. British Lingua Managing Director Dr Birbal Jha has devised a special
module for the target audience for the purpose. The first phase of the Spoken English training
programme for the Delhi Home Guards has received appluase from all quarters.

Mr Amit Goyal, training director of TKWs English Point - http://www.tkwsenglishpoint.com

who is also a corporate trainer says "we are working hard to train all the people involved
including the police, volunteers, metro staff, kiosk vendors. The goal is not only to teach them
spoken english. But also to arouse a sensitivity and develop an understanding of needs that the
tourists and sports people will have"

In addition to Delhi, the Indian Government plans to expand the program to teach people in local
tourist destinations, including Agra and Mathura in Uttar Pradesh, Bhopal and Gwalior in
Madhya Pradesh, Gaya in Bihar and Puri in Orissa.[13]

Other preparation

In addition to physical preparation, India and Delhi will be offering a myriad of amenities to all
athletes. These include traditional Commonwealth Games services, such as free accommodation
for all athletes, a modern, comfortable Games Village, cutting-edge health facilities, security, a
pollution-free environment, entertainment for non-competition times, transportation, and other,
unique amenities as well. Delhi will also be offering all athletes a free trip to the famed Taj
Mahal and will provide a reserved lane for participants on selected highways.[14]

The Delhi High Court is also set to implement a series of "mobile courts" to be dispatched
throughout Delhi to relocate migrant beggars from Delhi streets. The mobile courts would
consider each beggar on a case-by-case basis to determine whether the beggar should be sent
back to his/her state of residence, or be permitted to remain in government-shelters.[15]

Participating nations
There are currently 71 nations planning to field teams at the 2010 Commonwealth Games. In
alphabetical order, these nations are:

  Anguilla   Falkland   Malta   Scotland

  Antigua Islands   Mauritius   Seychelles
and Barbuda   Gambia   Montserrat   Sierra
  Australia   Ghana   Mozambique Leone
  Bahamas   Gibraltar   Namibia   Singapore
  Bangladesh   Grenada   Nauru   Solomon
  Barbados   Guernse   New Zealand Islands
  Belize y   Nigeria   South
  Bermuda   Guyana   Niue Africa
  Botswana   India   Norfolk Island   Sri Lanka
  British   Isle of   Northern Ireland   Swaziland
Virgin Islands Man   Pakistan   Tanzania
  Brunei   Jamaica   Papua New   Tokelau
  Cameroon   Jersey Guinea   Tonga
  Canada   Kenya   Saint Helena   Trinidad
  Cayman   Kiribati   Saint Kitts and and Tobago
Islands   Lesotho Nevis   Turks and
  Cook   Malawi   Saint Lucia Caicos Islands
Islands   Malaysia   Saint Vincent   Tuvalu
  Cyprus   Maldives and the Grenadines   Uganda
  Dominica   Samoa   Vanuatu
  England   Wales
  Zambia

As Fiji is suspended from the Commonwealth, it has been banned from participating in the
Games.

Rwanda may field a team for the games since becoming a Commonwealth member in 2009.
Sports
There are 17 disciplines planned for the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

 Aquatics (details)  Cycling (details)  Netball (1) (details)

o Diving (8) o Road (2)  Rugby sevens (1)
o Swimming o Track (12) (details)
(38)  Gymnastics (details)  Shooting (44) (details)
o Synchronized o Artistic  Squash (5) (details)
swimming (2) gymnastics (14)  Table tennis (7)
 Archery (8) (details) o Rhythmic (details)
 Athletics (46) (details) gymnastics (6)  Tennis (5) (details)
 Badminton (6)  Hockey (2) (details)  Weightlifting (15)
(details)  Lawn bowls (6) (details)
 Boxing (11) (details) (details)  Wrestling (21)
(details)

Kabaddi will also be a demonstration sport at the 2010 Games.[17]

The triathlon appears likely to be excluded from these games as there is no suitable location for
the swimming stage. The organisers have also proposed removing basketball, but want to include
archery, tennis, and billiards and snooker for men. Cricket, although in strong demand, may not
make a come-back as the Board of Control for Cricket in India were not keen on a Twenty20
tournament, but the organizers did not want a one day tournament.[18]

Calendar
The official calendar for the 2010 Commonwealth Games is as follows:[19]

   ●    Opening ceremony    ●    Event competitions    ●    Closing ceremony

October   3      4     5     6     7     8     9     10     11     12     13     14   Venue

Ceremonies ● ● Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium

SPM Swimming Pool

Aquatics ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
Complex

Archery I. G. Indoor Stadium

 Complex
& India Gate / Red Fort

Athletics ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium

Badminton ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Siri Fort Sports Complex

Boxing ● ● ● ● ● ● ● R ● Talkatora Indoor Stadium

I. G. Indoor Stadium
Cycling ● ● ● ● ● ●
Complex

I. G. Indoor Stadium
Gymnastics ● ● ● R ● ● ● ● ●
Complex

Maj. Dhyan Chand

Hockey ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
National Stadium

Lawn Bowls ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium

Netball ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Thyagaraj Sports Complex

Rugby sevens ● ● Delhi University

Dr. Karni Singh Shooting

Shooting T ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
Range

Squash ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Siri Fort Sports Complex

Table Tennis ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Yamuna Sports Complex

Tennis R K Tennis Complex

Weightlifting ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium

I. G. Indoor Stadium
Wrestling ● ● ● ●
Complex

October 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Venue

Venues
Existing and new stadia will be used to house the following sports: Archery, Aquatics, Athletics,
Badminton, Boxing, Cycling, Elite Athletes with a Disability (EAD) Events, Gymnastics,
Hockey, Lawn Bowls, Netball, Rugby sevens, Shooting, Squash, Table Tennis, Tennis,
Weightlifting and Wrestling. Specific venues for 2010 games in Delhi are following:
  Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium - Opening and Closing ceremonies, Athletics, Lawn bowls,
Weightlifting
 Dhyan Chand National Stadium - Hockey
 Indira Gandhi Arena - Archery, Cycling, Gymnastics, Wrestling
 Delhi University sports complex - Rugby sevens
 Thyagaraj Stadium - Netball
 Siri Fort Sports Complex - Badminton, Squash
 Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range - Shooting
 Talkatora Stadium - Boxing
 SPM Swimming Pool Complex - Aquatics
 RK Khanna Tennis Complex - Tennis
 Yamuna Sports Complex - Table tennis

Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium

The opening and closing ceremonies, athletics, lawn bowls, and weightlifting will take place at
the massive Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Delhi, which will have a capacity of 75,000 spectators
for the Games .The stadium will be renovated and improved in time for the Games.

Indira Gandhi Arena

The events of archery, cycling, gymnastics, and wrestling will take place at the Indira Gandhi
Arena, the largest indoor sports arena in India and the second-largest in Asia, which seats 25,000
people. Located at the Indraprastha Estate in the eastern region of New Delhi, the arena will be
connected to other venues via dedicated bus lanes and mass transportation. The arena will be
renovated for the Games.

New stadiums for Commonwealth games 2010

There are 26 new stadiums which will be utilized for commonwealth games. Some older will be
upgraded and some new will be constructed.