Now, Games tickets miss deadline, buyers angry

Looking forward to catch a Commonwealth Games 2010 event with your family? You will have to wait some more.

People looking forward to buy physical tickets to the Games will have to wait longer now, with the organising committee (OC) delaying the launch of tickets for mass sale till later this month. Earlier, it was supposed to be available from August 1.

At present, tickets are only available online on the Commonwealth Games website and some IRCTC and Central Bank of India outlets. However, only two ticket vouchers can be bought from these outlets or the website for the opening and closing ceremony, and four for sports events.

People are complaining that this limits the options. Says Arati Jain, a resident of Lajpat Nagar, ‘‘The reason for buying tickets early is so you avoid the crowd. But when I went to turn the voucher — that I had bought in June — to actual tickets in a Central Bank outlet, I was told this could be done later in August. What’s the point of buying tickets early?’’

That’s not the only complain coming in. People claim the limit on the number of tickets one can buy from the website or outlets will only give rise to touts coming into the picture. William Peckett, who has bought tickets worth Rs 21,000 for the ceremonies as well as the sporting events, says, ‘‘I bought my tickets without knowing where I would be sitting, since the outlet had no information on the seating plan in the stadium. The limit on the number of vouchers sold could well give rise to touts.’’ It’s a worry that is not confined to Peckett. Anil Thadani, who has bought tickets for his entire family for the opening ceremony by making his employees buy them from the internet, says it’s an idea that is surely being copied by others. ‘‘With two months left, it’s high time the OC made the tickets freely available. Limiting the numbers will only ensure that touts have a field day,’’ adds Thadani.

OC chairperson Suresh Kalmadi admits there has been a delay in the availability of tickets. ‘‘Now, the tickets will be available after August 15,’’ he said. While Kalmadi refused to reveal the reason for the delay, sources say the printing of the tickets has been held up. The tickets, say sources, are being printed from Pune, and there had been talk of having the new Rupee symbol on it, which delayed the process. Now, the earliest the tickets will be available to spectators is in the second half of August.

The ticket sales form an important part of revenue generation for the OC, which is already reeling from lack of sponsors. More than 17 lakh tickets are to be sold for the fortnight-long sporting extravaganza, in different phases. The sale of physical tickets was to be the later phase, where the tickets were to be made easily available, so as to drum up interest. The tickets range from Rs 50-1,000 for the sporting events and Rs 1,000-50,000 for the opening ceremony while for the closing ceremony, it’s between Rs 750-50,000. Four events are free — marathon, walk, cycling road race and cycling time trial.