Rio de Janeiro, Sep 1 (IANS) The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is expected to tell local officials this week to step up the pace of preparations for the Rio 2016 Games.

Among the IOC’s concerns are serious infrastructure problems, rising budgets and ongoing project delays. A team of IOC inspectors will visit Rio Sunday and Monday before giving an appraisal of the city’s working progress, reports Xinhua.
Soaring hotel prices, transport chaos and energy supply fears would be raised during the inspectors’ visit. The IOC has also questioned why the local organising committee was yet to confirm all venues for the event.