The trend of ticket sales in Delhi for the year's most awaited event, the Commonwealth Games, has spelt out two unlikely favourites — swimming and gymnastics.
“Hockey found the most takers initially, but now swimming and gymnastics are swiftly climbing the popularity chart,” said a senior
Commonwealth Games Organising Committee (OC) official who didn't wish to be named.
The official, however, declined to offer the exact number of tickets sold for the two disciplines “at this stage”.
Tickets for the Games, the 12-day multi-sports extravaganza, to be held in October, went on sale exactly three weeks ago. More than 25,000 have been sold already. Though official figures are unavailable, sources estimate ticket sales to have crossed the Rs. 2.5-crore mark.
OC spokesman Lalit Bhanot said the committee expects a sale of 17 lakh tickets, which will generate about Rs. 60-70 crore.
“The first lot of lower priced tickets for opening and closing ceremonies, available for Rs. 1,000, were sold out in the first week itself,” the official said. The next lot of tickets will now be available in July, he said.
Of the 17 retail outlets — seven Central Bank of India offices and 10 Hero Honda showrooms — in Delhi, the ones in Khan Market (South Delhi) and Parliament Street (Central Delhi) have the most prolific sales counters, the official said. The 17 outlets account for 40 per cent of the tickets available, the remaining are available online.
Inputs from Suhas Munshi