Badly dug-up CP excluded from cycle trial route

Friday, Aug 27, 2010


With barely two days to go for the cycling test event, the Organising Committee (OC) of the Commonwealth Games has removed Connaught Place from the route as construction work is still on in the market. On August 26, HT had reported that as work in CP was still continuing, the route for the cycling track would be shortened. Despite repeated attempts, OC spokesperson Lalit Bhanot could not be contacted for his comments. The Delhi Traffic police have been informed about the new route, which will now start from YMCA and then to Parliament Street, Central Vista, Rajpath.

"Cyclists will have to go round and round the new route a number of times to make up for the loss," said a senior traffic police official.

Earlier, the route included Inner and Outer Circle of Connaught Place where work still continues.

The Delhi Traffic police have also given a conditional No Objection Certificate (NOC) to the organisers.

"The NOC has been given with a condition that barricading has to be completed before the trial," said Ajay Chadha, special CP (traffic).

The traffic police said with Connaught Place out of the picture, it would be easier to man traffic and the arrangement would safe for the participants as well.

"Work in CP is still being carried out, so it was impossible to include it in the route. Also to ensure barricading is completed on time, we had to shorten it," said a senior traffic police official, requesting to remain anonymous. As the roads in the Inner and Outer circles are in a bad shape because of the restoration work of CP, the police were reluctant to give permission.

The organisers of the cycling event had also admitted that due to the incessant rains certain sections of the track had become unfit for use.

Original news source http://www.hindustantimes.com/Badly-dug-up-CP-excluded-from-cycle-trial-route/Article1-592353.aspx