India's Commonwealth Games woes

WSJ has a story about how India is finding it difficult to meet deadlines of commonwealth games. From shortage of time to shortage of funds every problem seems to be facing at the officials here.

India is facing grave challenges in its bid to become the latest developing nation to pull off a polished global sporting event, as organizers of October's Commonwealth Games grapple with construction setbacks and trouble locking in everyone from caterers to A-list athletes to big-name sponsors.

India's capital is on a building spree in preparation for this fall's games, which lie some 70 days off. New stadiums are springing up, along with roads, bridges, an international airport terminal and a "village" where 8,000 athletes and event officials will live and eat.

But sports-marketing experts say potential multinational sponsors aren't confident New Delhi will be ready, leaving India with a smaller-than-typical stable of sponsors at this stage of planning. The country's sports authorities are turning to government-controlled companies for financial help, a move that has raised questions about how big a bill Indians will ultimately foot for the games.

There are other signs things aren't on track ahead of the 19th Commonwealth Games, an event that unites athletes from 54 nations, mostly former British colonies, every four years. Would-be sponsors are said to be concerned that big-name athletes are skipping the event. Top British cyclists Chris Hoy and Victoria Pendleton said this week they wouldn't attend. Star sprinter Usain Bolt of Jamaica has already said he wouldn't be here.

But this is far from the end of the story. Besides the management problems terror threats too are posing a threat. OneIndia story.

According to CNN-IBN, at least 15 kgs of RDX had been smuggled into India by six Pakistan-based militants who are under pressure from the ISI to carry out terror strikes during the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Delhi.

Khalistan Zindabad chief Ranjeet Singh Neeta had planned to accomplish the blasts.

According the channel, one person was arrested in Rajpura with 5 kg RDX.

Police informed that they are hopeful to track down another 10 kgs RDX which had been supplied to Sirsa district in Haryana.