2010 Commonwealth Games' Dehli Village: Oops

"Delhi Games village 'unfit for athletes'"
BBC (September 21, 2010)

"The Commonwealth Games Federation head has demanded the Indian government take immediate steps to improve conditions at the athletes' village in Delhi.

"Team delegates have described the accommodation as filthy, unhygienic and unfit for human habitation.

"But organisers of the event, which runs from 3 to 14 October, said the facilities would be excellent.

"Meanwhile, police said 23 labourers were injured as a bridge being built near the main Games venue collapsed.

"It is the latest setback to an event plagued by construction delays, allegations of corruption and a dengue fever outbreak in the Indian capital.

"New Zealand, Scotland, Canada and Northern Ireland have demanded their teams be put up in hotels if their accommodation is not ready...."

This probably isn't quite what India's leaders had in mind when they started working on the 2010 Commonwealth Games. It's the first time that India has hosted - or tried hosting - the games. Offhand, it seems that things could have gone better.

Then, there's the opinion in the article's sidebar:

" 'Clearly, the "Indian way" hasn't worked - and the Games are turning out to be India's bonfire of vanities'

"Soutik Biswas BBC Delhi online correspondent"

There is some good news in all this: apparently nobody was killed when that bridge collapsed. And it looks like visiting teams will spend much of their time safely off-site during the games. As for spectators: I hope that someone takes a good, hard look at the bleachers before folks climb on - or that spectators decide to watch via television.

Assuming that the events will be televised.

The Lemming thinks this may be another example of a recurring issue plaguing governments, large businesses, and any organization massive enough to have executives who are dissociated from whatever the organization is supposed to be doing.

Someone who's never been on the shop floor, or seen a construction site, may need a reminder from time to time that it doesn't matter how good a plan looks on paper: It's got to actually work.