NEW DELHI (AP):

Commonwealth Games Federation chief, Michael Fennell, has warned New Delhi that delays in its preparations for the 2010 Games are putting the success of next year's event in jeopardy.

Fennell was reported by the Press Trust of India on Sunday to have written to Suresh Kalmadi, chairman of the local organising committee, saying: "I'm looking forward to some urgent actions in order to bring about the successful celebration of the Games in 2010."

He added: "Our concerns are such that unless there is significant change in the management culture and operation of the organising committee these Games will fail from an operational perspective."

His fears reflects a CGF report which predicted a partial failure of the event scheduled for October 3-14, as most venues are lagging behind construction deadlines. The report said it was "reasonable to conclude that the current situation poses a serious risk to the Commonwealth Games in 2010."

Fennell wrote: "The CGF is extremely worried about the organising committee's ability to deliver the Games to any comparable standard to that of the last two editions of the Games in Manchester and Melbourne."

The CGF chief hopes to discuss the delays with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during a visit to New Delhi next month for the federation's general assembly.

"With only a year to run until the Games, I feel I must personally brief the Prime Minister of India on the lack of preparations and to seek his input in developing an appropriate recovery plan," Fennell wrote.

"The government of India has committed significant resources toward the operational delivery of the Games ... It would be irresponsible and negligent of the federation not to share its concerns openly with the government."

The Games are set to be the biggest multiple-sport event staged in India since the 1982 Asian Games. They feature 71 nations and territories that comprised or were linked to the old British empire.