New Delhi, September 27
Amid all the controversies marring the reputation of the Commonwealth Games (CWG), the organising committee (OC) may fail to bag the target revenue from the mega sporting event. The OC had projected revenue of Rs 1,620 crore from the Games, but it has only been able to earn around Rs 400 crore till now.

The OC had expected to earn huge revenues from various sources like sponsorship, ticket sales, merchandising and broadcasting rights etc. Of the total revenue collected so far, sponsorship has contributed Rs 137 crore, ticket sales Rs 10.66 crore, merchandising Rs 80 crore and broadcast rights Rs 185 crore. Though, the OC officials claim that the sponsors are yet to pay some Rs 390 crore.

The central government had given over Rs 1,600 crore as grant to the OC for holding the Games. The OC is supposed to return the amount from its profit.

The officials of the OC, meanwhile, are blaming negative publicity by media for the revenue loss.

"Media overplayed small issues and did bad reporting, creating an overall bad image of the Games. This eventually led the sponsors to back out of the event," said a senior OC official.

However, actually, reasons like delayed projects, shoddy preparations and high-level corruption have played major roles in the revenue downfall.

The merchandising of CWG products, which were supposed to have hit the markets at least six months prior to the Games, were launched just two months before it. The company handling the merchandising for the Games is expected to incur losses of crores of rupees.

"We will definitely incur crores of losses. We started our sales on August 6, which is too late to earn profits," said CEO of the company.

Meanwhile, according to sources, the Delhi government is already facing financial crunch due to CWG projects and has no money to pay for the third phase of the Metro project.

New Delhi, September 27
Passengers dangerously hanging out of buses were a common sight across the city today as the government has pulled 1,600 Blueline (private) buses off roads.

The move came into effect yesterday but the impact was felt more today it being a weekday.

It was apparent that the government has not lived up to its promise of replacing the private buses with snappier Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) buses. The DTC buses were unusually crowded on most routes and passengers had to wait longer than usual.

The elderly people and the women, who happened to be the biggest sufferers, were frightened at the sight of packed buses with people almost hanging out of the doors. Most low-floor DTC buses that have their doors closed while moving had them open all along because of the increased passenger load.

"I have to go to Mori Gate and I have been waiting for over 45 minutes. The only bus that came was too crowded. Normally, I find a bus on my route every 10 minutes," said Yashbir Kadyan, a trader who was waiting for a bus near Bhagwan Dass Road.

Around 2,500 Blueline buses play across the national Capital. The government has pulled 1,600 Blueline buses from over 125 routes to decongest the city roads, especially in areas where 17 CWG stadia fall and the Games Village.

Another reason that has made the government take this decision is Blueline buses are usually shabby, most of them in a rundown state, unlike the new DTC buses which are flashier and more comfortable.

The move has pushed many to avail services of the Metro trains. The central Delhi Metro stations were overcrowded with passengers.

This has invited flak from the general public. Pulling off the Bluelines is being cited as another example of inconvenience to the public in the name of the Games. The CWG organisers have already faced much criticism for making the lives of Delhiites difficult by digging roads and hampering traffic everywhere in the name of beautification.

"First they said there would be no difficulty for us because an equal number of DTC buses would replace the private ones. It is not the case," Kadyan said.

A transport official said more buses have been started on many routes but admitted that they were far from the numbers needed to take care of the additional passenger load caused by the Bluelines that have been withdrawn.

Besides, complaints like autorickshaw drivers hiked fares came from many areas. Some said autorickshaw drivers were exploiting the situation to their advantage and refused to ply by the meter, a practice they had been adhering to after the government hiked their rates recently.

New Delhi, September 27
With the traffic police restricting movement on the Commonwealth Games lanes, Delhi almost crawled and serpentine queues of vehicles were seen on several roads.

"In the morning, roads like NH-24 (connecting Delhi with Uttar Pradesh), Akshardham road and other lanes leading to the Games Village were absolutely blocked. These roads are mostly congested even on normal days, but the blue lanes have increased the miseries," said Deepak Saxena, a media professional, who was striving hard to get to office on time.

The jams, meanwhile, led to a field day for the traffic police officials who could not stop whistling during the peak hours. Several people who entered the exclusive Games lanes were challaned Rs 2,000.

However, traffic police officials were overall happy with people's response. "People are obeying rules. We don't have to run behind them," said a traffic policeman.

The restrictions were imposed between 8 am and 8 pm. A large number of traffic policemen were fanned out across the city to facilitate Games-related traffic, as athletes were scheduled to visit practice venues across the city.

Yesterday, the Delhi police challaned 17 people for deliberately entering Games lanes.

New Delhi, September 27
New tourist AC buses are likely to ply in Delhi to facilitate a convenient 'Dilli tour'.

Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit today launched 14 purple AC buses under 'Hop on Hop Off' bus service arranged by the DTDC. The buses will also be known as 'Ho-Ho' buses.

They will run across the city covering many important tourist destinations, including monuments, museums and markets.

Tourists can hop on and hop off at any of the stops along the way according to their convenience.

The buses will ply at half an hour intervals from 8 am to 8 pm every day throughout the year.

The buses will start from Coffee Home, BKS Marg and have stoppages at Delhi Gate, Red Fort, Rajghat, National Gallery of Modern Art (India Gate), Purana Quila, Humayun Tomb, Defence Colony Metro Station, Lotus Temple, Metropolitan Mall Saket or Select City Walk, Qutab Minar, Hauz Khas Village, Dilli Haat (INA), Safdarjung Tomb, Santushti near Hotel Samrat, Teen Murti Marg-Nehru Museum, National Museum (Janpath) and Jantar Mantar.

"The number of buses will be increased after the feedback. The service will prove useful to the tourists during the Games. It is going to stay even after the Games," said the Chief Minister.

One comprehensive Ho Ho route covers most of the major attractions in Delhi and these are a mix of famous historical sites, museums and markets.

New Delhi, September 27
Walk into any of the back lanes on sides of the Connaught Place circles, and you will see hanging electrical wires, repelling old plasters, filth and dirt all around. Many connecting lanes in Connaught Place's inner circle remain an eyesore.

"We were told that the entire circle will be redone. But now our shops look even shabbier. We are very much part of the inner circle, but nothing has been done here. No one would bother to complete the work once the Games end," said Shyam Chand, owner of Shyam Book Centre in the lane, right opposite PVR Plaza.

Just the façades of the buildings have been redone. Smaller shops on the sides still await fresh paint.

Most shopkeepers say that even the redone portion in Connaught Place has a noticeable difference: earlier pillars had paan stains, now they have cement and whitewash stains. Work in the parking arenas remains unfinished. Most parking lots in the inner circle have loose earth, leading to dust in the air.

"There is too much dust in the air. We just went to couple of showrooms, including Levis, where the corridor ceiling is still undone. Even the showrooms have lots of dust at times. There is no area that is properly clean," said Touisha Fagham, visiting India from Ireland.

NDMC spokesperson said, "We required more time, but we are doing our best to wind up work."

New Delhi, September 27
The Delhi police detained a Pakistani national at a Metro station today on alleged suspicious activities.

The accused has been identified as Mohammed Ramzan, 35, resident of Lahore, Pakistan. He was detained by the police from Rajouri Garden Metro station after some passengers caught hold of him while he was reportedly clicking pictures of a woman on the Metro premises.

"The passengers got suspicious and complained to the CISF officials. He was detained and handed over to the Delhi police," said a senior Metro official.

The police is still interrogating the accused.

Ran Singh, SHO, Raja Garden Metro police, said, "We have checked his camera. There are no pictures in it. The woman passenger thought that he was taking her photo and raised the alarm. He has since been detained."

The accused came to the city, which has bolstered the security arrangements, to visit the Nizammudin shrine and offer 'chadar', confirmed Singh.

Ramzan was travelling with a valid passport and visa and is said to be a resident of Lahore. "Till now it looks that he is genuine and came to the city along with a group of friends for some religious purpose," said Iqbal Mohammad, ACP Delhi Metro police.

The police said it has not registered any case against him and if statements are verified to be correct, he would be released.

Meanwhile, sources confirmed that an official from the Pakistani high commission also came to meet the police officials in support of the accused.

Ramzan was staying at a hotel in Karol Bagh.

New Delhi, September 27
The onslaught of dengue continues, with the cumulative number of the people affected by the disease crossing the 3,000 mark today.

Worried on the looming threat of a host of viral diseases, the authorities have started stepping measures in the form of running advertisements on government channels along with displaying posters at several locations, especially in and around hospitals.

With less than a week left for the Commonwealth Games to begin, the city civic authorities have started a fresh round of spraying of anti-larval substances along with fogging in and around the 18 sports sites, besides the Games Village.

"The fogging and spraying is on for quite some time near venues, but the monsoon that lashed the city has been spoiling the process. We have started a fresh round of spraying in the Games Village," said Dr V K Monga, chairperson of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi's health committee.

In the Capital, 97 fresh cases were confirmed and this takes the total to 3,013, while the vector-borne disease has claimed five lives since the cases started surfacing this time in the city.

Meanwhile, South Delhi continues to be the worst affected this season, with 437 cases, followed by Civil Lines Zone, which has recorded 392 cases, Rohini with 354 and Central Zone with 337 cases.

Ghaziabad, September 27
There has been no relief from the regular traffic jams on the National Highway 58, an important lifeline in west UP.

People in Meerut, Modinagar, Muradnagar, etc are angry that traffic police, district authorities, public representatives and even the state and central governments have failed to provide any relief from this perennial problem.

A number of plans have been drawn, but none has been executed, people complain.

Thousands of vehicles pass via Modinagar every hour. Since this road connects Meerut to Delhi, it is used by vehicles from the adjoining districts and also from Uttarakhand. The traffic jams lead to fatal accidents at times.

Half of the main road in Modinagar and Muradnager is encroached upon by carts, cycle rickshaws and parked two-wheelers and cars. And policemen just look the other way.

SDM Gayninder Singh said Nagar Palika and Public Works Department had been asked to launch a coordinated campaign for ridding the NH-58 highway of traffic jams, but this too seemed to have fallen on deaf ears.

During the crushing season in sugar mills, the situation becomes worse as hundreds of bullock carts and tractor trolleys laden with sugarcanes block the highway. Queues of vehicles extending to a kilometer on both the sides of the road are a normal sight during the season.

Noida, September 27
Senior officers of the Uttar Pradesh police are keeping their fingers crossed as they fear that the Ayodhya verdict may have an adverse impact on the Noida-Greater Noida belt which is slated to host the Commonwealth Games (CWG) cycling event on October 13.

The Gautam Budh Nagar police has requisitioned at least 3,000 additional policemen from other districts to provide adequate security for the mega event.

Another development which has left the cops worrying is the recent arrest of two Lashkar operatives in Mumbai for their involvement in Bangalore and Pune blasts. The duo reportedly told the police that they had also done a recce in Noida in connection with the CWG. After the attack on tourists in the Jama Masjid in Delhi, the police here is also keeping a watch on terror activities.

But police officials are apprehensive that additional forces may be hard to get as other districts might also need additional forces to ensure law and order ahead of the highly-anticipated Ayodhya verdict.

Further, another big event for which the police will need extra men is the upcoming panchayat elections.

According to SSP A.K. Singh, 30 locations in Gautam Budh Nagar district have been termed sensitive, and six of them are in Noida.

Meanwhile, village chiefs and resident welfare associations have been asked to take measures to maintain communal harmony in view of the Ayodhya verdict.