PANJIM: With a view to fast track the preparations, especially the infrastructure, for 37th National Games in Goa kicking off on October 25, the Government has roped in Superintendent Engineer Sadhana Bandekar from PWD as Chief Engineer for overseeing the Games projects.
The contractual appointment of superintendent engineer Rangaraju, who was appointed after his retirement in PWD as the technical head in SAG, was brought to an end with immediate effect.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
The new technical head, Ms Bandekar, has a tough job on her hands along with a team of six engineers with her. It is a difficult but nigh-impossible mission to see that everything will be ready for the opening ceremony and later for hosting various events at different locations upto the closing on November 9.
Most people are keeping their fingers crossed whether the Games will finally be launched on October 25, as already announced. However, no finer details about the venues which will host the events as well as the practice areas have been released. There are just 81 days to go and athletes who have been selected for the State coaching camp cannot make use of the track which is under renovation. So also, is the case with volleyball players who are unable to practice at the stadium. Also, no meeting of the Chef de Missions, the first meeting which is normally held three months in advance, has taken place. No details have been announced. That apart, the work on accreditation, which is a pretty time consuming affair, nay massive, has not been initiated as yet.
The babus, who know how the Government functions, however, are confident that the Games will kick off on October 25, since the works at several venues, which fortunately do not fall under the category of major ones, will now be carried on, on a war footing. Also, they feel there is no major construction work to be taken up. What is needed is renovation and refurbishment, for which tenders running in multicrores, have already been floated and work is in progress, actually in full swing.
The major work of the athletics tracks at Bambolim and Pedem which started two months ago has already been completed. What is now remaining is marking the track which is comparatively easy, of course depending on the rains. And, the work on floodlights is not much time consuming.
There being no major infrastructure work to be taken up, and with the previous, the latest experience being the organisation of Lusofonia Games wherein work was going on even 15 days prior to the inaugural, there is a feeling that most of the venues would be made ready on time.
After dilly-dallying over the venue for weightlifting from Pernem to Ponda and ultimately settling for Panjim, the Goa Weightlifting Secretary, Jayesh was optimistic the event will be now held at Bandodkar ground, Campal, where a German AC Tent will be erected. The erection of the tent could be finished in less than a month.
Some events like fencing, archery and others may be held by raising temporary structures with overlays, a la Games in Kerala and Ahmedabad.
Whatever may be, the work will now be put on top gear with Madam Bandekar being the team’s commander under chief Govind Gaude.
