Tennis stadium handed over to CWG Organising Committee

New Delhi, July 27 (ANI): Urban Development Minister S Jaipal Reddy formally handed over the renovated R K Khanna Tennis Stadium to Suresh Kalmadi, Chairman of Commonwealth Games Organising Committee here on Monday.

Accepting the key, Kalmadi said criticising the Delhi government for hosting the Commonwealth Games was illogical, as all the developments meant better infrastructure for the national capital.

"Lot of criticism of course...I wish one could focus on the new airport which is done, which is almost the best in the world. I wish people focus on the metro, which has started from the airport right upto the Games Village via Connaught Place. These are the things happening," he said.

"The amount of low floor buses it has got for city, and this is not for the 15 days of the games, this for the lifetime of Delhiites. Please don't put it into our account. This can't be put into the account wholly of the games. This is through the games, the city moves ahead five to ten years," he added.

"The progress is now becoming fairly satisfactory and I think we are going well...maybe 15-20 days this way or that but I think all the venues are coming up what we now need to do is to do the rest...the venues are coming up...Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium is opening day after tomorrow. So, I think we have lot of time," said Chief Minister Shiela Dikshit.

The stadium has a built-up area of 11,500 square metres and consists of 14 courts including a centre court and six match courts.

The centre court has a capacity of 5,000 spectators while the number one court has a 1000-seater gallery with updated facilities.

India is expecting huge inflow of tourists in New Delhi for the Games, as well as about 10,000 athletes from 71 teams representing 54 Commonwealth member states.

The Sports Ministry has spent an additional sum of 300 million rupees to upgrade and renovate the hostels of the Delhi University, as a measure of accommodation for the Games tourist. (ANI)