Commonwealth Games 2030 In Ahmedabad To Cost 3,000-5,000 Crore INR Without Infra Upgrades

Commonwealth Games 2030 In Ahmedabad To Cost 3,000-5,000 Crore INR Without Infra Upgrades

The soon-to-be-formed Organising Committee of the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad aims to conduct the event at an operational cost between Rs 3,000 crore and Rs 5,000 crore.

According to a reliable source closely involved in the planning, the estimates for the ongoing infrastructure upgrades, including both sports and public utility facilities, are still being calculated to finalise the overall cost of the event.

The source mentioned that Gujarat has learned the necessary lessons from the 2010 Games in Delhi, which faced several controversies, including infrastructure delays, corruption charges, and costs far exceeding initial estimates.

“The operational cost for the Ahmedabad CWG would come to Rs 3,000 to Rs 5,000 crore. This does not include funds (capital expenditure) that will go into building other infrastructure, some of it being handled by the urban development department," the source said.

“Obviously, the cost incurred for building public infrastructure will not be counted towards the Games as the utility of that is going to be beyond the Games. It's a slightly long-drawn process and we will need some time to come to a definitive estimate," the source added.

The operational cost of the Games includes funds spent on conducting the event during its duration, which can be partially offset by revenue from gate tickets and commercial deals.

The operational cost of the 2010 Games was a little over Rs 2,600 crore, significantly higher than the initial estimate of Rs 635 crore. Overall, those Games cost the exchequer more than Rs 70,000 crore, making them the costliest of all time.

Gujarat's Principal Secretary (Sports), Ashwani Kumar, part of the Indian delegation in Glasgow when Ahmedabad was awarded the 2030 Games, declined to comment on the budget. However, he confirmed to PTI that the plan to establish an Organising Committee registered as a not-for-profit company, to be dissolved after the Games, is under consideration.

The Organising Committee, subject to greater financial scrutiny due to its company status, is expected to be formed by the end of December or early January 2026.

“It (not of profit company) is under serious consideration. It's a model that was adopted by the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games and was recommended by CAG after the 2010 CWG in Delhi. I don't want to dwell on what happened in the Delhi Games but I think lessons have been learnt," Ashwani Kumar said.

The Melbourne edition is often praised as one of the best Commonwealth Games, noted for its execution and public participation. Kumar stated that the Ahmedabad Organising Committee would strive for professionalism and begin operations by early January.

“The OC will have 12 to 15 members. It will have a chairman, vice chairman, a CEO, representatives from Commonwealth Sport (the governing body of the Games), IOA, the Paralympic Committee of India, some athletes and domain experts as well," he said.

The Delhi 2010 Games Organising Committee, led by then IOA chief Suresh Kalmadi, was registered as a society and faced heavy criticism for its handling and corruption allegations.

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The Ahmedabad Commonwealth Games are expected to be held in October 2030, featuring 15 to 17 disciplines.

(With inputs from Agencies)

Source: News18
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