Sale of tickets for the Commonwealth Games – priced between Rs.50 and Rs.50,000 – has begun. The tickets for the Indian general public were launched by Delhi's Lieutenant -Governor Tejendra Khanna in the presence of Organising Committee Chairman Suresh Kalmadi at a function organised at the OC Headquarters here on Friday.
The first tickets were presented by the Games' mascot Shera to Mr. Khanna and Delhi Mayor Prithvi Raj Sawhney.
It was announced that ticket rates for the sporting events would range from Rs.50 to Rs.1,000. The ticket prices for the Opening Ceremony will be much higher and range from Rs.1,000 to Rs.50,000. Similarly for the Closing Ceremony the price band would be Rs.750 to Rs.50,000. In all about 17 lakh tickets would be up for sale for the Games.
To bring in the crowds, almost 40 per cent of the competition venue tickets will be priced at Rs.200 or less. For four events – the Marathon, the Walk, Cycling Road Race and Cycling Time Trial – the entry would be free.
Each ticket holder would be able to travel free of charge by Delhi Metro trains and DTC buses to reach and return from the venue on the day of the event for which they hold a ticket.
To ensure that no counterfeit tickets get circulated, the Organising Committee has got the tickets printed at Government of India Security Press with complete in-built foolproof security features.
Ticket sales in international markets had begun in November 2009 and the sales to sponsors had started in May 2010.
Expressing his happiness at the launch of the ticketing programme for Delhi 2010, Mr. Khanna expressed hope that people from across the country will come forward to buy the Games' tickets. “This is a landmark event for Delhi which will attract sports enthusiasts from across the country. The Games will have a positive impact on the sporting culture of our country as well as city and give the country's Capital a world-class infrastructure for years to come,” he said.
Thanking the Delhi Government for waiving entertainment tax on the tickets and thereby making them affordable, Mr. Kalmadi said: “The tickets for the Games are affordable and easily accessible. I hope all Delhiites will come forward and buy tickets in large numbers resulting in house full stadiums during all the competitions.”
The tickets are available at Central Bank of India and Hero Honda, CWG Ticketing call centre (1800-200-1294) as well as through the official ticketing website, www.tickets.cwgdelhi2010.org , the Organising Committee said.
