62 days for CWG: New stadium roof collapses

In a major shock to the Commonwealth Games organising committee, a portion of the roof covering the weightlifting auditorium, part of the newly-remodelled Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium complex, came crashing down on Sunday even as top Games officials were briefing the media about its inauguration.

Hours after the auditorium’s inauguration, red-faced CWG officials were forced to hand it back to the Central Public Works Department for repairs. Strangely, though, the Union sports minister, Mr M.S. Gill, who was present at the inaugural function, insisted that the leaking of the roof and its collapse was “normal” and there was “nothing to worry about”. “It happened due to the continuous rains,” he said.

Delhi government and CWG officials said the roof of the weightlifting auditorium started leaking after Saturday’s showers, which had led to water accumulating inside it.

The Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium is the main venue for the Games, and the venue for both the opening and closing ceremonies. The roof, on which Rs 90 crore was spent, will now take a week more to be repaired, Games officials confirmed.