That was a marathon that will be remembered for all wrong reasons. There was nobody to own up the faults that were aplenty.
No announcement on the commencement. When those behind saw the participants standing ahead of them moving, they assumed that the marathon had indeed started! There was none to indicate the finish line. Those standing on the medians and on roadsides joined the marathon in between and totally at will, with none to regulate. Thus, there was no check on who were running from start to finish! There was only a mad rush. How can we call it competitive?
No volunteer was seen at vulnerable points. Children were seen running along with elders. No arrangements were made for supply of drinking water. Water packets were literally thrown on the roads and there was a stampede to collect them. Empty packets were littered all over the road. Enough for the runners to slip and break their bones!
At the finish point, children were wondering where to go. There were announcements about missing children and missing parents. Participants were asked to squat on the road. Those running from behind were seen trampling on them.
The worst was the arrangement, or its absence for the distribution of certificates. There was a temporary shelter for issuing the certificates. If the participants had patiently waited to collect the certificates, the queue would have still been there.
The most painful part was that a 22 year youngster was allowed to die! Santhosh was just 500 metres from the finish line when the tragedy occurred. He, the only son to his parents was an MSc student of Anna University. The organisers gave away Rupees three lakhs as compensation to the bereaved family! That is the price tag for human life in Chennai.
In any marathon, a medical check up is mandatory before you register anyone for a marathon. This rule was not followed. All rules were honoured more by their breach than by their observance. In an event like this, you have to expect many a proverbial Pahom!
And after all this, the organisers had the heart to go ahead with the prize-giving ceremony!