As the city gears up to host Commonwealth Games-2010, Delhi Development Authority (DDA) is likely to provide around 5,000 apartments to meet the huge accommodation shortage, a major concern ahead of the mega event.

 

Racing against time, an inter-ministerial group set up to expedite preparations for the Games, is learnt to have okayed the proposal to ask DDA to meet the accommodation shortage by handing over around 5,000 flats to India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) before the event.

 

Tourism ministry and DDA had held several rounds of consultations to finalize modalities for handing over the flats, mostly in Vasant Kunj, to ITDC by March 2009. ITDC would spruce up the flats after taking possession from DDA to make them more attractive for foreign visitors.

 

These flats would be handed back to DDA after the Games and the development agency would be free to auction them to the public. But DDA officials feel the prices of these flats after the ITDC makeover may become too high for the general populace.

 

The inter-ministerial panel, headed by urban development minister S Jaipal Reddy with tourism minister Ambika Soni and S&T minister Kapil Sibal as members, has met several times to review progress of ongoing works being executed by various agencies. The panel's main concern, however, is the shortage of hotel accommodation for foreign and domestic visitors during the sporting extravaganza.