The Olympic flame marched through New Delhi in closed route from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate as around 70 torch bearers ran through 2.3 kilometers on Thursday.

The New Delhi government attached great importance to the security of relay after the disruptions in Paris and London.

"We do not want to see a repeat of what happened in Paris and London. It is a sacred torch and its safety is our responsibility, " said Suresh Kalmadi, the president of Indian Olympic Association, explaining the decision over closed route.

"We are not afraid of any movement. They can have the movement anywhere else. We just want the torch relay to be safe. The safety of the torch is our responsibility and we are hopeful that the relay will go on well without any disruption," added Kalmadi, who was the first torch bearer in New Delhi relay.

Milkha Singh, who was the second torch bearer, is a three-time Olympian in 1956, 1960 and 1964 Games.

"When you are in the Olympic Games, you are a part of the Olympic family," said Singh, retracing his old days in the Olympics.

"Everybody is coming the Olympic Games for competing of course, but more importantly is to make friends, to learn things of different cultures and extending understandings with smile and greetings.

"Today, it's another great day for me to be part of the Olympic Games, it's a day looking back and looking forward for a better world."

The torch bearers included sportspersons, stars and politicians. The country's top current and former athletes, including sprint stars Anju Bobby George, PT Usha, ace tennis star Leander Paes, shooters Manavjit Singh and Abhinav Bindra, boxer Akhil Kumar and hockey player Dhanraj Pillay, were all on the run.

Actors Saif Ali Khan, Amir Khan, Sagarika Ghatge of "Chak De India" fame and Sarod player Ayan Ali Khan were all seen in action.

"It's ok for you to demonstrate peacefully, but anything relative to violence is not good for us," said Saif Ali Khan, referring to the disruption of torch relay in Paris and London.

"A lot of people are taking the platform of sports to promote their political points of view. In this way, the Olympic Games is being misused by those.

"It's one of the most memorable moment in my life and a moment I am looking forward to for so long," added Khan.

Tennis duo Mahesh Bhupati & Leander Paes shared the honor to run the last torch and lighted the cauldron.

Bhupati and Paes won the men's doubles in French and Wimbledon Opens in 1999 and again the French Open in 2001. Paes was also the mixed champion in Australia and Wimbledon Opens in 2003.

The Beijing Organizing Committee of Olympic Games expressed sincere thanks for the great efforts of the Indian and New Delhi governments.

"The Beijing Olympic torch relay goes well in New Delhi. We convey our sincere thanks for the Indian government, New Delhi government, Indian Olympic Association and Indian people," said Qu Yingpu, the spokesman for the Olympic torch relay.

"Through the comprehensive reports of media, Indian people and people around the world learn fully the information of the torch relay today. The Indian torch bearers, among which are mostly the prominent athletes, transferred the Olympic spirit of peace, friendship and progress. We believe today will be a day unforgettable for them, and also for us," added Qu.

The Olympic flame will next visit Bangkok for its 12th stop of global journey.

(Xinhua News Agency April 18, 2008)