From June 4, you’ll be able to buy your Games ticket online

From this weekend, tickets for the Commonwealth Games will be up for grabs.

Initially, the tickets will be available online and later at select outlets across the city. The tickets have been priced between Rs 50 and Rs 1,000. Prices for the opening and closing ceremonies, at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, will be costlier as a huge demand is expected for these events.

“The tickets will be available in price slabs starting from Rs 50 and will vary from session to session. We will announce the price slabs on June 4, after which they will be available online,” said Lalit Bhanot, secretary general, Common-wealth Games Organising Committee.

“Tickets for preliminary matches will be cheaper than the finals and the prices will also depend on the size of the stadia and the event’s popularity,” he said. “Tickets for the opening and closing ceremonies will be costlier but we will ensure that masses can view all the events.”

The price slabs are expected to be Rs 50, Rs 100, Rs 150, Rs 250, Rs 500, Rs 750 and Rs 1,000. The tickets are being printed at the Nashik Security Press to ensure there is no duplication.

The OC plans to sell about 17 lakh tickets and the first ticket will be presented to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

“Initially, the people will have to book the tickets online and the ticket will reach them by post. Tickets can also be bought at the Central Bank branches. There are plans to make them available at select Metro stations, major markets and malls,” said a senior OC official who didn’t wish to be named.

“There is already a huge demand for tickets for the opening and closing ceremonies and we are getting enquires every day about bulk bookings,” he said.

The OC is expecting one lakh foreign visitors to visit the capital during the 12-day sporting extravaganza in October.

Ticket rates

    * Rs 50: Price of cheapest tickets for the Games.
    * Rs 1,000: is expected to be the highest priced tickets. Tickets for opening and closing ceremonies will be costlier.
    * 17 lakh: Number of tickets that will be be printed at the Nashik Security Press.
    * 1 lakh: Foreign visitors expected to come for Games.