CWG 2014: Indians Adjust to Common Bathrooms at Games Village

The sizeable Indian contingent at the Commonwealth Games Village has taken a liking to the residential facility in the East End area of the city -- the exception being having to put up with common bathrooms.

The concerns arising over the outbreak of norovirus (stomach bug) outbreak at the Athletes' Village notwithstanding, the Indians have given a thumbs up to the hospitality offered by the Games' Organisers.

However, they would have preferred attached bathrooms like the ones built in Delhi four years ago.

"I think the Delhi Village was better planned and had more open space. But the overall quality of the Village is better here and the food is good. Here we also share the toilets but that has not been much of a problem so far," paddler A Sharath Kamal, a three-time gold winner in CWG, said.

His coach Bhawani Mukherjee gave a sneak peek into the Village built around 35 hectares comprising 6500 beds and 700 "future homes".

"We have flats here like huts but rooms are very small. We have two rooms on second floor, one four bed and the other two bed with a common bathroom. On first floor, two bathrooms and four rooms. It is a problem but we need to keep in mind it is an athletes village. The nice weather here makes up for the minor shortcomings," said Mukherjee.

Asked about reports of diarrhoea, the coach said: "We are doing fine. We are very careful of what we eat."

India's top squash player Saurav Ghosal said it would have been better to have attached bathrooms.

"Common bathrooms have been alright so far. Of course it would be better to have your own bathroom. In comparison to Delhi, I would say it is cleaner here," said Ghosal.

Interestingly, 260,000 items of furniture, fittings and equipment were obtained from the London Olympics Village for use here.

The work on the complex started back in 2009 and it was completed in January.