The Commonwealth Games Mess in Delhi

India was so excited about the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi. We had been preparing for years, and the government kept making big promises: huge revenue, a boost in tourism, and international recognition. All of that could have been true — if we had organized the event properly. But because of corruption and mismanagement, the reality turned out to be the complete opposite. Instead of gains, we lost billions of rupees, tourism numbers actually fell, and India’s reputation suffered badly across the world.

I was always doubtful whether we were truly ready to host such a huge international event, and I had a feeling it was going to end badly. Sadly, I was right. Just days before the Games began, a newly constructed footbridge for visitors collapsed. How could this even happen? And then, instead of taking responsibility, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dixit casually remarked that “fortunately no foreigners were on the bridge when it collapsed.” What kind of logic is that? Does it mean the lives of Indians don’t matter? The government had originally announced that the budget for the Games would be around ₹16.2 billion ($365 million). By the end, the cost had skyrocketed to over ₹300 billion ($2.6 billion).

Where did all that money go? The answer is obvious: corruption. I am sure that officials and contractors involved in the Games pocketed most of it. The scandals were endless. Tickets were hoarded, waiting for international visitors to buy them, but when hardly anyone came, the organizers ended up distributing tickets for free to schoolchildren — just to make the stadiums look full. The Games Village, which was supposed to showcase India’s hospitality, became an international embarrassment. Reports came in that rooms had leaking roofs, broken beds, filthy toilets, stray dogs wandering around, and even cobra snakes found inside. What kind of preparation was this?

When I was doing my tour guide training in Gwalior last year, we were repeatedly told by professors and officials from the tourism ministry that the Commonwealth Games would bring a wave of tourists, and that’s why we needed to be prepared to work extra hard. In reality, not even the usual number of foreign tourists came. Global headlines were dominated by stories of corruption, poor facilities, collapsing structures, and weak security. Naturally, no one wanted to travel here for the Games.

The most shocking incident was when an Australian journalist managed to walk into the Games Village with a mock bomb in his bag — and nobody checked him. Can you imagine what could have happened if it had been real? That was the level of our security arrangements. The anger of the Indian public was clear when Suresh Kalmadi, the main organizer of the Games, was openly booed during the inauguration ceremony. That moment said it all — people were fed up.

I only hope the government learned its lesson from this disaster. Personally, I don’t think India should even think about hosting another mega-event like the Commonwealth Games in the near future. But then again, the real question remains: does our government ever learn from its mistakes?