New Delhi: There were complaints and compliments too on Monday as athletes started arriving in planeloads for the 19th Commonwealth Games in the Indian capital and delegations checked into the Games village with only six days to go before the event begins.
About 550 athletes and officials were expected to land in the Indian capital on Monday, officials said.
The largest contingent of 113 from South Africa, followed by Scotland with 77 will arrive for the Oct 3-14 Games. The other large contingents arriving are from England (61), Australia (59) and Canada (30).
They are among the 7,000 participants and officials from 71 countries and territories expected for India's biggest sporting event since the 1982 Asian Games.
Delegations from New Zealand, Wales, Namibia, Jamaica, Botswana, the Bahamas, British Virgin Islands, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Kiribati will also arrive.
Issues of preparedness and hygiene in the Games village again cropped up.
Now, an unhappy Kenyan camp said it expected more.
"We came yesterday. Our experience has been average. We have not been given keys to the room. We told the authorities but we were told to wait," a Kenyan delegate complained.
"The rooms could have been cleaner…," added Ruth Mueni Nzioka, a Kenyan team official.
However, there were some bouquets too.
Said Mike Summer from the Falkland Islands: "I came on September 22. At that time the condition was very poor. All the negative media reports were justified at that time. But from there on things have improved a lot. I have checked the accommodation several times and am now satisfied with the progress.
"There has been progress on a daily basis. However, I don't know whether the electricity or the plumbing will hold up. I hope it does."
Added Claudine Jenning, an archer from Scotland: "We are really happy with all the facilities. We are having a good time here. We went to the archery venue. The field was very nice. I have been to Europe and world championships, and the archery field is very much up there with the best."
The food, she added, was excellent.
With preparations beginning in earnest for the Games kicking off on Sunday evening, authorities enforced dedicated traffic lanes after forcing over 1,500 Blueline public transport buses off the roads.
"I am stuck in traffic for the last one hour. I am late for office and my children are late for school too," said Sujata Jain, who was caught in traffic on the Ring Road.
Over 1,500 Blueline buses plying on 132 routes were pushed off roads from Sunday till Oct 16 to ease traffic congestion on Delhi roads. These routes pass through central Delhi and near the Games venues.
Consequently, traffic has risen sharply on the Delhi Metro.
Though schools in the city will be closed from Oct 1 till the Games end Oct 14, students and commuters will find it tough dealing with traffic jams and fewer public transport buses until then.
The exclusive CWG lanes are operational from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday onwards on certain stretches of Delhi roads.
As the city prepared for the much anticipated event, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee expressed confidence that it would be conducted 'properly and smoothly'.
"I am quite confident that the Games will be conducted smoothly, and (the) country will be happy to see (it) being conducted properly and smoothly. And there is no problem in conducting the Games," Mukherjee told a Kerala-based channel.
Also, a court has dismissed a petition seeking the removal of Suresh Kalmadi as chairman of the Commonwealth Games organising committee.
The petitioner had demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the alleged irregularities in the multi-million rupee deals that were struck for the Games preparations.