Commonwealth Games velodrome inaugurated

India’s new Indira Ghandi Indoor Stadium velodrome, a venue for the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games, has been inaugurated by Sports Minister M S Gill and Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit.

In a ceremony on Tuesday, Gill said: “It’s a special occasion today. There were issues but it has come up in 17 months and undoubtedly something to be proud of. The other venues are also ready and I am just fixing the dates for their inauguration.”

Delhi Chief Minister Dikshit added: “Credit should go to the Sports Authority of India and CPWD for it (construction of the venue). The job has been done not only elegantly and beautifully but with the state-of-the-art facilities. I have begun to feel that these will be the best Commonwealth Games.”

The velodrome, which has a seating capacity of 3,800, cost just over US$32 million to build and such are the first class facilities on offer, it has been adjudged as a category one cycling velodrome by the International Cycling Federation (UCI).

The Commonwealth Games will take place from 3 to 14 October this year.