New Delhi: A frenetic last-minute completion of infrastructure similar to what happened during the 2010 Commonwealth Games here will not occur and all the facilities for next month’s under-17 football World Cup are ready, according local organising committee (LOC) director Javier Ceppi. He asserted Monday that the preparations for the first FIFA event are on schedule.
“For the last three years, we have been planning for the delivery of this tournament with the stakeholders, including the state and the central government. We understand that there is a tendency of last minute preparedness and completion of infrastructure, last minute running around. Fortunately, this seems not to be the case in this tournament at least,” Ceppi told this agency.
“We have no worry over the operational delivery of the event. There are very minor things pending. We are into the operational phase now, like installing goal posts, camera platform, the furniture, in short all the installation of non-permanent elements of the facilities.
“All the major works have been completed. The training grounds, dressing rooms are ready. With 25 days to go, we are where we want to be. That is something quite positive and we are happy,” he added.
Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium, which will host the final October 28, was the first to be handed over to the organisers Sunday. Ceppi informed Guwahati will be the next and he expects the stadium at the Assam capital to be handed over by this weekend.
According to schedule, all the stadia were to be handed over to the organisers two weeks before the start of the tournament, October 6.
Ceppi also asserted that the security arrangements have been worked out extensively. “As far as the security aspect of the tournament is concerned, we have been working with the ministry of home affairs and its state counterparts and other stakeholders. It is done and, about accommodations of the players and officials, hotels have been finalised long time back and it was never an issue,” Ceppi informed.
press trust of india