New Delhi 2010 Games will overshoot budget, says chief

By N.Ananthanarayanan

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Higher construction costs will force the 2010 New Delhi Commonwealth Games to go over budget, organising committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi said on Tuesday.

"We would be slightly increased because of the steel price increase and other things," he said at a news conference after a venue inspection. "That is before the government (for their consideration)."

Government figures last month estimated expenditure at around 79 billion rupees (1.1 billion pounds). It included money spent on infrastructure and on the 2008 Commonwealth Youth Games.

The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) raised concerns in November over the slow pace of work, which forced the November World Badminton Championships to be shifted to Hyderabad.

Kalmadi said he was confident the various stadiums would be completed well before the Games, scheduled from October 3-14, 2010.

"Most of the infrastructure would be ready by December," he said. "From March 2010 onwards, we hope to have test events."

The CGF has also raised concerns that action over the athletes' village could throw the future of the event in doubt, with a petition opposing the project on environmental issues pending before the nation's highest court.

"The matter on the village has gone to the Supreme Court," Kalmadi said. "But there is no stay (order) and work is going on as per schedule. We're confident it will be sorted out."

(Editing by Kevin Fylan and Alan Baldwin)