MCD yet to install LED monitors in shopping plazas and malls for live telecast of event

Games fail 'screen' test

MCD yet to install LED monitors in shopping plazas and malls for live telecast of event

As the deadline for the Commonwealth Games is nearing, the authorities are throwing up their hands in despair as to how many things they have forgotten from their checklist. With just 25 days to go for the mega sporting event, Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has dropped another bomb on the organisers by washing its hands off installing LED screens at various places in the national capital for the live telecast of the games.

Black out: More than 100 LED screens were to be installed at several
places to tap in viewership for the games. representative photo

A hundred odd screens of different sizes were to be installed in shopping centers and city malls but till now only seven have been set up in Saket, south Extension, Defence Colony and a few more places.u00a0

MCD officials said they would install screens at another 18 places by the time Commonwealth Games starts in October. But all these LED screens have come up in market places and none of them are there in shopping malls and popular restaurants.

A highly placed MCD official, requesting anonymity, told MiD DAY that the civic agency was never entrusted with any such responsibility.

"Who are we to propose such a thing? We do not have any such mandate. We had promised to install such screens in market places, which is underway. We are going to cover at least 25 locations," said the official, who is associated with the project.

"We did not find suitable places in some market areas, as it could also affect road traffic. So, at least 25 places will be ready by this month end," added the official.

The Organising Committee had proposed to install LED screens to telecast the games live. It had proposed to set up the screens at shopping centers and malls along with the places where viewership for football was recorded maximum.

The matter remained untouched till it came up before a meeting of the group of ministers, a few days back. "Seeing that only market places have been covered and shopping malls have been left out, the group of ministers had asked Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit to personally look into the matter and resolve the issue," added the official.

According to sources, Dikshit has reportedly asked Chief Secretary, Rakesh Mehta, to look into the matter and take it up with the MCD officials.

THEFT AT MEDIA CENTER
Delhi Police and Organising Committee (OC) officials went into a tizzy on Saturday evening when a theft was reported from the media unit of the games set up at the Pragati Maidan.
The OC has shifted its media, security and telecast units to Pragati Maidan recently. The police said a complaint of a computer monitor being stolen was lodged with it. The officials heaved a sigh of relief when they found out that it was merely a monitor not the CPU, which contains the data.
The incident was reported on Saturday evening at around 9 pm when the belongings of one of the units of OC was being shifted in hall number 7, 8 and 9. The police said it was not a security threat or breach of security "as only it was a monitor". However, an FIR has been registered at the Tilak Marg police station and investigations are being carried out.

READY TO GO
Commonwealth Games organising committee on Monday handed over copies of the completion certificates from all competition and non-competition venues, including the Games Village, to CGF CEO Mike Hooper. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi issued 14 completion certificates to the venue owners of Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium Complex, Indira Gandhi Indoor Sports Complex, RK Khanna Tennis Stadium, Dr Karni Singh Shooting Ranges, Thyagaraj Stadium, all facilities in the Delhi University North Campus, Chhatrasal Stadium and Ludlow Castle School. The New Delhi Municipal Council had given completion certificates for three venues last week, including Maj Dhyan Chand National Stadium, Talkatora Indoor Stadium and Dr SPM Aquatics Complex. The Delhi Development Authority provided the completion certificates for its venues, including the Games Village, Siri Fort Complex and Yamuna Sports Complex.

Media mela
Around 800 international and 1200 domestic media personnel are expected to cover the Delhi Commonwealth Games scheduled to be held in the capital from October 3 to 14. As compared to 1562 Media accreditations for the Melbourne Games in 2006, around 2000 accreditations will be made for Delhi 2010. The Main Press Centre (MPC) will be available for use from September 23 and can be accessed till September 30, daily between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m and will be open round-the-clock from October 1-15. The MPC boasts 600 work stations for press and photo areas, with Wi-Fi and High-speed broadband at rate card, Games info service to access Games News Service and transport schedules. The Venue Media Centres, that will open two hours prior to the event and close two hours after the event concludes, will also have work stations, high-speed Internet, press conference room, Media Lounge, info terminal for Games News Service, catering concession outlets and Mixed Zones.