Indian workers carry a small staircase as they pack up at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, the main venue of the Commonwealth Games.
INDIA'S Commonwealth Games ended on a triumphant note, but analysts say the event still fell short in its bid to showcase the strengths and aspirations of an emerging global power.
An impressive last-ditch, round-the-clock effort to put the Games back on track was largely successful, but only after shambolic preparations and months of negative publicity had raised the humiliating spectre of cancellation.
But several analysts argued that relief at having staved off looming disaster was a sentiment that highlighted India's weaknesses, rather than its strengths.
"It's a classic example of management by crisis, which is precisely the sort of stereotype of India that these Games were supposed to dismantle," said Robinder Sachdev, head of the New Delhi-based Imagindia Institute think-tank.
"The idea of being able to 'get it right in the end' is an image India neither needs or wants to perpetuate in corporate boardrooms overseas," Sachdev told AFP.
"If it wants to grow, it has to prove that large scale projects can be planned and executed on time and on budget," he added.
The final cost of the 12-day event has been estimated at around six billion dollars the most expensive Commonwealth Games ever and Sachdev estimated that it could cost billions more in lost investor confidence.
Poor infrastructure is a drag on Indian growth and the haphazard implementation of a major upgrade of Delhi's transport system underlined the difficulties in executing large projects to high standards.
A footbridge next to the main stadium collapsed days before the opening ceremony, a train link to the airport remained unopened, and many new venues, metro stations and road flyovers were shabbily finished.
Newspapers were filled with stories about treadmills hired for 20,000 dollars, toilet paper bought for 80 dollars a roll, and contractors feasting on the multi-billion-dollar budget.
Samuel Paul, founder of the Bangalore-based Public Affairs Centre, which lobbies to improve government standards in India, said the Games had exposed India's problems with governance, transparency and accountability.
"All this is not unexpected, but what amazes me is the systematic problems that exist even at the highest levels," he said.
Under the headline "I declare the games shut. Let the audits begin", Times of India columnist Rajesh Kalra on Thursday called for all venues to be sealed for a count of what had actually been delivered against what had been paid for.
"The list of mismanagement, misappropriation of funds, nepotism, favouritism, goes on and on," he said.
Foreign media coverage of the Games, which had been extremely critical in the run-up to the opening ceremony, was far more positive in its final verdict.
Despite the incompetence displayed by the organisers, Delhi had picked up the pieces and shown that "even the biggest mess can be cleaned up ", The Sydney Morning Herald said.
"They've pulled it off admirably and deserve better than the carping, nit-picking and borderline racism that has masqueraded as informed coverage of the Games," wrote journalist Peter Hanlon.
As to whether the whole event was worth it, analysts said the enduring legacy of the Games in terms of infrastructure, image and prestige would only become apparent with time.
"If we really learn lessons from this and if it leaves public opinion more demanding of our business and political leaders, then yes, I think then it will have been worth it," said Sachdev.
An impressive last-ditch, round-the-clock effort to put the Games back on track was largely successful, but only after shambolic preparations and months of negative publicity had raised the humiliating spectre of cancellation.
But several analysts argued that relief at having staved off looming disaster was a sentiment that highlighted India's weaknesses, rather than its strengths.
"It's a classic example of management by crisis, which is precisely the sort of stereotype of India that these Games were supposed to dismantle," said Robinder Sachdev, head of the New Delhi-based Imagindia Institute think-tank.
"The idea of being able to 'get it right in the end' is an image India neither needs or wants to perpetuate in corporate boardrooms overseas," Sachdev told AFP.
"If it wants to grow, it has to prove that large scale projects can be planned and executed on time and on budget," he added.
The final cost of the 12-day event has been estimated at around six billion dollars the most expensive Commonwealth Games ever and Sachdev estimated that it could cost billions more in lost investor confidence.
Poor infrastructure is a drag on Indian growth and the haphazard implementation of a major upgrade of Delhi's transport system underlined the difficulties in executing large projects to high standards.
A footbridge next to the main stadium collapsed days before the opening ceremony, a train link to the airport remained unopened, and many new venues, metro stations and road flyovers were shabbily finished.
Newspapers were filled with stories about treadmills hired for 20,000 dollars, toilet paper bought for 80 dollars a roll, and contractors feasting on the multi-billion-dollar budget.
Samuel Paul, founder of the Bangalore-based Public Affairs Centre, which lobbies to improve government standards in India, said the Games had exposed India's problems with governance, transparency and accountability.
"All this is not unexpected, but what amazes me is the systematic problems that exist even at the highest levels," he said.
Under the headline "I declare the games shut. Let the audits begin", Times of India columnist Rajesh Kalra on Thursday called for all venues to be sealed for a count of what had actually been delivered against what had been paid for.
"The list of mismanagement, misappropriation of funds, nepotism, favouritism, goes on and on," he said.
Foreign media coverage of the Games, which had been extremely critical in the run-up to the opening ceremony, was far more positive in its final verdict.
Despite the incompetence displayed by the organisers, Delhi had picked up the pieces and shown that "even the biggest mess can be cleaned up ", The Sydney Morning Herald said.
"They've pulled it off admirably and deserve better than the carping, nit-picking and borderline racism that has masqueraded as informed coverage of the Games," wrote journalist Peter Hanlon.
As to whether the whole event was worth it, analysts said the enduring legacy of the Games in terms of infrastructure, image and prestige would only become apparent with time.
"If we really learn lessons from this and if it leaves public opinion more demanding of our business and political leaders, then yes, I think then it will have been worth it," said Sachdev.
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