Chief minister Tarun Gogoi inaugurates the Games Village and girls perform on the occasion in Guwahati on Saturday. Pictures by Eastern Projections

Guwahati, Jan. 20: Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi today inaugurated the Athletes’ Village for the 33rd National Games to be held here from February 9 with the message, “We have a job to do and we will do it”.

Presiding over a colourful ceremony at the state-of-the-art township, Gogoi promised a trouble-free Games despite the banned Ulfa’s boycott call looming large over the event.

He appreciated the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority, the public works department and builders Larsen and Toubro for executing the Rs 113-crore project in less than two years.

The 13-acre Games Village comprises 252 two-bedroom and 448 three-bedroom apartments in 25 towers, equipped with all modern amenities, including uninterrupted power through a 33-kV line and direct water supply from the Brahmaputra. Each tower houses 28 apartments.

The public health and engineering department and the Assam State Electricity Board also drew words of praise from the chief minister.

A huge convention centre has also been built where the progress of the Games will be broadcast along with regular updates through Internet and telecom facilities. The centre will be used as the township’s community centre with medical and banking resources.

Addressing the gathering which comprised mostly government employees and construction workers, Gogoi said Assam had laid to rest all doubts about its capability to build infrastructure suitable for the mega event. “We have overcome all hurdles and come up with some of the best infrastructure in the country. Even Indian Olympic Association president Suresh Kalmadi has expressed his willingness to stay in the Village during the National Games, which itself speaks volumes,” Gogoi said. “Every state has its own problems, be it financial or over security and there are solutions to everything. We have almost overcome all problems and now we are ready for the Games.”

The Centre today decided to send 20 additional companies of paramilitary forces to Assam exclusively for the sports extravaganza. Late last night, an Ulfa rebel was gunned down at Garchuk, not very far from the Games venue.

Gogoi released tickets for the inaugural and closing ceremonies on the same occasion.

The ceremony was attended by food and civil supplies minister Nazrul Islam, deputy speaker Pranati Phukan, Parliamentary secretary Parameswar Brahma, GMDA deputy chairman J.K. Pandey and GDD secretary Ashish Bhutani, among others.