Barcelona today is one of Spain's major tourist attractions, known mostly for its sunny beaches. Before the 1990s, however, even the city residents seldom realised how close they are to the sea because a string of warehouses, industrial buildings and slums blocked the view.
Then came the 1992 Olympics and the city underwent a transformation, the benefits of which it is reaping to this day. The city authorities connected the city to its beach by removing eyesores that came in the way and by creating a two mile long waterfront that is not only a favourite hangout zone for residents but also a tourist magnet. Also came along new road networks, housing, drainage system and green areas. It was the Olympics that put Barcelona firmly on the world map.
Big ticket sporting events are a drain on the taxpayer's pocket but they come with a lasting legacy in the form of sporting infrastructure and other infrastructure including transport, housing, roads, greenery etc. The Commonwealth Games held between October 3 and 14, 2010 could have been and was expected to be, a catalyst for urban rejuvenation. The question is, has the Commonweal Wealth left behind a lasting legacy?
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The run up to the Games was marred by delayed infrastructure projects, unfinished stadia, unhygienic conditions at the Games Village reported by foreign athletes, the outbreak of dengue, security concerns etc. At one point of time, many athletes said they would pull out and many big names indeed didn't participate citing different reasons.
Despite the major hurdles, the Games started with an impressive opening ceremony and the sporting events went on rather smoothly. Outside the venues, the city was at its best behaviour for almost a fortnight. The roads were spic and span, police deployment was heavy and for a change it seemed safe to move around the streets even at night, traffic movement was smooth and motorists kept to their lanes and to cut a long story short, everything seemed to be moving like clockwork.
The momentum, however, fizzled out as soon as the foreign athletes boarded their flights to return home. Apart from some successful projects such as the Barapullah flyover and others that got linked with the Games like Delhi airport's Terminal 3 and Metro's airport line, it is hard to identify the lasting legacy of the Games. The problem, perhaps, predates the event itself as there never was one legacy master plan.
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“What really happened during the Games was policing up of the city and because of the Games, some roads got redone. Almost no new structures came up, apart from the Games Village,” said Dr. P.S.N. Rao, Chairman, Delhi Urban Art Commission. “Largely the Games saw the sprucing up of infrastructure that was already existing. However, east Delhi definitely got a new lease of life thanks to the Games,” Dr. Rao said.
“Instead of a lasting legacy, what the Commonwealth Games has left is a lasting liability,” said eminent architect and urban planner K.T. Ravindran. “We got lots of stadia but many are now abandoned and have become garbage dumps. There has been some improvement such as better pavements for pedestrians but that has been in areas where you don't have too many improvements whereas places that needed them have seen hardly any improvement. Also, the Games saw of lot unwelcome activities such as cutting down of tress and buildings on the riverfront, which have only contributed to longer climate changes in the city,” he said.