NEW DELHI: The Union Minister for Urban Development, S. Jaipal Reddy, on Wednesday inspected Delhi Development Authority's sports complexes at Siri Fort and Vivek Vihar to see the Authority's preparedness for the Commonwealth Games 2010. During the visit he also travelled to the Yamuna Biodiversity Park at Wazirabad and acquainted himself with the development work taking place there.

In a press statement, DDA said during his visit to the sports complexes, the Minister appreciated the agency's efforts and the steps being taken in the direction of preparation for the sports events due to be held during the 2010 Games at Siri Fort and Yamuna Sports Complex.

The Minister was informed that two stadia are planned to be constructed at a cost of about Rs 200 crores at Siri Fort Sports Complex and Yamuna Sports Complex for conducting badminton, table tennis and squash games.

It was pointed out that DDA has been assigned three sports events for the Commonwealth Games and apart from upgrading these existing sports complexes with modern facilities it would also be constructing a stadium at each of these two complexes. Further, for the Games, DDA would also be constructing a Commonwealth Games Village near Akshardham Temple on National Highway 24.

Biodiversity Park

As for the Biodiversity Park developed by DDA in association with the Botany Department of Delhi University, the Minister was informed that it is spread over an area of 156 acres in Phase I and has been designed to preserve about 40 biotic communities of endangered species of flora and fauna found in the Yamuna Basin.

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