Want to watch Games? Book early, ticket sales have begun

If you want to watch the XIX Commonwealth Games live, and not on TV, hurry up and book your ticket now.

On Friday, the first day sales began, 1,700 tickets worth Rs 20 lakh were bought by 8 pm. The Games will be held from October 3 to 14.

Ticket are priced from Rs 50 to Rs 1,000, but prices for the opening ceremony have been kept between Rs 1,000 and Rs 50,000 and for the closing, from Rs 750 to Rs 50,000.

The Organising Committee (OC), which is facing a dearth of sponsors, is overjoyed.

"The tickets sold today were the high end ones," said an OC official.

Those booking their tickets now will get a confirmation voucher, be exchanged later for the real thing in August. The tickets, being printed at the government security press in Nashik, are yet not ready.

"We anticipate a sale of 17 lakh tickets, which are expected to generate about Rs. 60-70 crore," said Lalit Bhanot, OC secretary general.