A stray dog lay in the muddy gateway to Delhi’s Commonwealth Games village. It was after dark but the compound behind was alive with labourers. A mobile crane lifted steel girders to a team working under lights, welding torches lit up the courtyard and the screech of power tools echoed from inside the nine-storey tower blocks.

It’s just 57 days until 8000 athletes and officials begin competing at this year’s Commonwealth Games. But the building complex they will occupy is far from ready.