Major problems in over 100 apartments at Games Village

As fresh criticism hit the Games Village following the 'snake episode', top officials looking after 'clean-up operation' on Sunday indicated "severe problems" in over 100 apartments at the complex and said it may take a few days to make them "livable".

They said there were major problems pertaining to electricity connections and water pipelines in these apartments and workers at the site were struggling to get things on track.

"The Village has 1,168 apartments spread across 34 towers and out of these apartments there have been major problems in electrical and water connections in over 100 apartments," top sources told PTI.

In more embarrassment to the organisers, South African High Commissioner Harris Mbulelo Mejeke claimed that a snake was found in one of the rooms in the residential towers.

Admitting "problems" in several other apartments also, the officials, however, said the Village will be able to accommodate all the players even if the problematic blocks were kept out.

The plumbers and electricians who have actually done the fittings at the Village have already left the site, and the new workers are finding it difficult to understand the structure and the systems there, they said.

"The developer of the complex as well as DDA which was responsible for constructing the Games Village are not cooperating in addressing the problems," a senior official said.

Security issues were also hindering the progress as police was not allowing workers inside the Village without accreditation, he said.

Claiming that substantial improvement has been made in the Games Village after Delhi Government was handed over the responsibility of the complex from DDA, the official said the "massive clean up operation" have resulted in a total turnaround.

Amid strong criticism by the international officials who dubbed the Village as "filthy and uninhabitable", the PMO on Wednesday night had directed Delhi Government to take control of the complex from DDA which functions under Union Urban Development Ministry.

On Wednesday, the city government, taking control of cleaning, house-keeping and overall maintenance of the complex, deployed a workforce of 1,500 people including professionals from five-star hotels.