The venue for the much-awaited Formula 1 International Grand Prix race is still in the midst of a whole lot of construction, with tonnes of cement, bricks and metal sheets getting offloaded at the site. Racing against time, workers are at it day and night to meet the deadline. The race is scheduled from October 28-30 at the Buddh International Circuit, Greater Noida near Delhi. Several contractors have been pressed into service for various functions by the organiser, Jaypee Sports International.
The main venue has been barricaded, especially to keep the media away. A Jaypee official told Business Standard on condition of anonymity that clear instructions have been issued by Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), the international parent body for the Grand Prix event, that media should be kept out of bounds till an official opening is announced.
This correspondent could go up to the track boundaries, which was surrounded by construction materials. A set of workers was seen laying down the underground cables dotting the F1 track. Another group of workers was waiting to start on the drainage system. They said work would continue till October 15. “We will all be told to vacate this place then. The remaining work will be resumed November 5 onwards,” a worker on the site told Business Standard. With not much time left, the labourers are putting in 12 to 16 hours everyday to meet the set deadline for finishing all the construction work that includes a huge office space, the main entry pathway as well as a grand fountain right at the entrance—all of which are still under construction. Jaypee has also been entrusted with the work of getting the expressway ready, which leads to the venue, up and running.
Meanwhile, the workers have started to place the chairs at the Buddh International Circuit, which has a capacity to seat 120,000 spectators.
The venue, which is being strictly guarded by security men engaged by the host company, may not be allowing the media in general, but it is accessible to the National Geographic crew on a regular basis for coverage, a source said.
While the organisers say that these are the final touches and that the track is actually ready, a trip to the venue suggests otherwise. The company has invested over Rs 1,500 crore on the project.
