India prepares for the Commonwealth Games

In two days, on Sunday October 3rd, the nineteenth Commonwealth Games will officially open in New Delhi, India. 72 nations will be sending more than 6,000 athletes to New Delhi to compete in 17 sports in 26 different venues from October 3rd through the 14th. Much criticism has been leveled at the host city for its preparation efforts, as security concerns are high and several incidents occurred recently, including construction accidents, an outbreak of dengue fever, and reports of filthy conditions at the Athlete's Village. Armies of laborers appear to have caught up with many of the demands, and the opening ceremonies will take place as scheduled on Sunday. Collected here are recent photographs from New Delhi, India as workers and athletes prepare for the 2010 Commonwealth Games. (43 photos total)

A member of the Bhiwani Boxing Club practices inside a stadium in Bhiwani in the northern Indian state of Haryana September 9, 2010. The club consists of more than 150 members, out of which three have been selected to compete in the 2010 Commonwealth Games that will be held in New Delhi, club officials said on Thursday. Picture taken September 9, 2010. (REUTERS/Adnan Abidi)

An unidentified girl runs with the Queen's baton with the Taj Mahal in the background, during the baton rally for the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Agra, India on Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2010. The baton, which contains a message to the athletes from the queen in her role as head of the Commonwealth, will cover more than 190,000 kilometers (117,990 miles) in 340 days before it reaches the Indian capital in time for the Oct. 3, 2010, opening ceremony. (AP Photo/Pawan Sharma) #

An inside view of the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium and the newly-installed aerostat, a large helium balloon designed to lift equipment and lights and to serve as a central projection screen, in New Delhi on September 15, 2010. (MANPREET ROMANA/AFP/Getty Images) #

An Indian mahout rides on his elephant past the Commonwealth Games Village in New Delhi on October 1, 2010. (MANAN VATSYAYANA/AFP/Getty Images) #

A security officer is seen in a guard tower amidst billowing smoke from anti-mosquito fumigation at the Commonwealth Games athletes' village New Delhi, India, Thursday, Sept. 30, 2010. (AP Photo/Gurinder Osan) #

A security guard stands guard outside the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium, the main venue of the Commonwealth Games early in the morning in New Delhi, India, Sunday, Sept. 26, 2010. With athletes trickling into New Delhi on Saturday and cleaning crews rushing to scour their rooms, the Commonwealth Games chief said India was working hard to ensure it is prepared to host the beleaguered sporting event scheduled to start Oct. 3, though much remains to be done. (AP Photo/Saurabh Das) #

A swimmer takes part in a training session at the Dr. S.P. Mukherjee Aquatics Complex ahead of the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games on October 1, 2010 in Delhi, India. (Adam Pretty/Getty Images) #

A competitor dives during training at the Dr. S.P. Mukherjee Aquatics Complex ahead of the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games on October 1, 2010 in Delhi, India. (Cameron Spencer/Getty Images) #

A diver prepares to make a practice dive at the Dr. S.P. Mukherjee Aquatics Complex on October 1, 2010 in Delhi, India. (Cameron Spencer/Getty Images) #

The sun rises over the historic India Gate as Indians jog in the early morning in New Delhi on October 1, 2010. (INDRANIL MUKHERJEE/AFP/Getty Images) #

A worker cleans the window of a room meant for athletes at the Commonwealth Games village, in New Delhi, India on Sept. 16, 2010 - the Akshardham temple in the background. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup, File) #

The Athlete's Village for the Commonwealth Games is seen behind the Akshardham temple, in New Delhi, India on Thursday, Sept. 23, 2010. (AP Photo/Kevin Frayer) #

A crane lifts debris from a pedestrian bridge that collapsed on Tuesday September 21st outside the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, the main venue for the Commonwealth Games, in New Delhi, India. Top Indian officials dismissed international anger over the pedestrian bridge collapse and the revelation that sports officials arrived to find filth in the athlete's village, news reports said Tuesday. The statements come as some athletes announced they would not attend the Commonwealth Games, and international sports officials warned their countries may be forced to withdraw amid a frenzy of last-minute preparations. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup) #

Indian workers paste a rainbow sticker on a footbridge that had earlier collapsed, as Indian army trucks unload construction material to build the footbridge in New Delhi, India, Saturday, Sept. 25, 2010. (AP Photo/Mustafa Quraishi) #

New Zealand's cycling team take part in a training session at the Indragandhi Sports Complex which holds the cycling, gymnastics and the wrestling events ahead of the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games on October 1, 2010 in Delhi, India. (Feng Li/Getty Images) #

Indian schoolgirls wait to perform during the welcome ceremony at the Commonwealth Games Village in New Delhi on October 1, 2010. (PRAKASH SINGH/AFP/Getty Images) #

Civic workers fog for mosquitoes at the athletes' village for the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, India, Friday, Sept. 24, 2010. (AP Photo) #

An Indian worker welds a gate, as the sun sets, near the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, the main venue for the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, India, Friday, Sept. 24, 2010. (AP Photo/Mustafa Quraishi) #

Nagaland police personnel stand guard near the Commonwealth Games headquarters in New Delhi, India, Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2010. (AP Photo/ Mustafa Quraishi) #

Workers are seen through security razor-wire as they stand on top of Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, preparing for for the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, India on Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2010. (AP Photo/Kevin Frayer) #

A migrant woman washes clothes behind a Commonwealth Games banner in New Delhi, India, Monday, Sept. 27, 2010. While poverty remains one of India's most intractable and enduring problems, officials have tried to ensure it is not what games visitors remember. Many of this city's beggars have been arrested or forced from the streets, migrants have been rousted, and thousands of homes have been hidden from sight. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup) #

Indian slum dweller Amit Kumar stands on the spot where his hut was demolished in New Delhi on September 27, 2010. Before the October 3-14 Commonwealth Games, authorities are trying to hide the miseries of New Delhi - homeless, beggars, families sleeping in the street - to transform the capital of 18 million inhabitants to a "world class city" by razing slums or putting up hoardings to hide them from visitors' view. (MANPREET ROMANA/AFP/Getty Images) #

A civic worker sprays pesticide to eliminate mosquito larvae to check the spread of malaria and dengue fever near the Commonwealth Games village, in New Delhi, India on Sept. 8, 2010. (AP Photo/File) #

Children search for their belongings among the debris of demolished shanties in Gurgaon, in the northern Indian state of Haryana, September 30, 2010. The shanties were demolished by municipal workers near the Commonwealth Games shooting range on September 28, local media reported. (REUTERS/Parivartan Sharma) #

Indian laborers work in front of the Lawn Bowls venue at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on September 24, 2010 in New Delhi, India. (Daniel Berehulak/Getty Images) #

A laborer, his face spattered with paint, rests in front of the Commonwealth Games athletes village in New Delhi September 26, 2010. (REUTERS/Parivartan Sharma) #

A supervisor stands next to an Indian laborer painting markers onto a roadside curb in New Delhi on September 23, 2010. (PEDRO UGARTE/AFP/Getty Images) #

A worker arranges figures of the mascot of the Commonwealth Games before packing them in a factory at Mohali in the northern Indian state of Punjab September 28, 2010. (REUTERS/Ajay Verma (INDIA - Tags: SPORT) #

An Indian police officer stands guard outside the Dr. S.P. Mukherjee Swimming Stadium, the swimming venue of the Commonwealth Games, in New Delhi, India, Friday, Oct. 1, 2010. (AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano) #

A man rides a bicycle past a billboard spray-painted with graffiti in protest against the forthcoming Commonwealth Games in New Delhi on October 1, 2010. (MANAN VATSYAYANA/AFP/Getty Images) #

Council of Delhi workers sweep the streets in front of the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on September 29, 2010 in New Delhi, India. Workers all across Delhi are scrambling to complete last minute preparations for the upcoming Commonwealth Games. (Daniel Berehulak/Getty Images) #

An auto rickshaw driver smiles as he looks in his rear view mirror on September 28, 2010 in New Delhi, India. (Julian Finney/Getty Images) #

A stray dog runs inside the Commonwealth Games village in New Delhi on September 29, 2010. (DESHAKALYAN CHOWDHURY/AFP/Getty Images) #

A man performs Mallakhamb (gymnast's pole) during a practice session at a playground in Mumbai September 13, 2010. Mallakhamb is a combination of traditional Indian gymnastics and martial arts and it can be traced back to the 12th century. For centuries, the sport has been dormant but is now regaining popularity in the country. The group will perform during the opening and closing ceremonies at the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, according to their coach. (REUTERS/Danish Siddiqui) #

Australian hockey player Glenn Turner (right) shoots on goal as England's Richard Smith attempts to block the shot during a practice match as they prepare for the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, on October 1, 2010. (WILLIAM WEST/AFP/Getty Images) #

A view of the netball court at the Thyagaraj Stadium during a media visit in New Delhi on September 15, 2010. (MANPREET ROMANA/AFP/Getty Images) #

Athletes practice as a thick white cloud from fumigation floats above the field at the Commonwealth Games village, in New Delhi, India, Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2010. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup) #

Team members from Cook Islands applaud during a flag hoisting ceremony at the Commonwealth Games village in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2010. (AP Photo/Gurinder Osan) #

An Indian woman watches as the Queen's Baton relay arrives at the historic Vijay Chowk of Lutyen's Delhi in New Delhi on October 1, 2010. (INDRANIL MUKHERJEE/AFP/Getty Images) #

An Indian laborer bathes in the street next to a temporary camp for migrant workers in New Delhi, India, Saturday, Sept. 25, 2010. (AP Photo/Kevin Frayer) #

Indian students dressed in folk costumes wait to perform in a welcoming ceremony for athletes at the Commonwealth Games athletes' village in New Delhi, India, Friday, Oct. 1, 2010. (AP Photo/Saurabh Das) #

Laborers work on a giant puppet inside New Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium as part of preparations for the 2010 Commonwealth Games, September 13, 2010. (REUTERS/Adnan Abidi) #

In this photo taken on September 13, 2010, a view of Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium is seen at dusk in New Delhi. (MANPREET ROMANA/AFP/Getty Images) #

E-mail this article

Sending your article

Your article has been sent.