Ticket report ready

The Commonwealth Games Organising Committee (OC) has completed its probe in the ticketing scandal that surfaced during the Games on Thursday.

The Commonwealth Games Organising Committee (OC) has completed its probe in the ticketing scandal that surfaced during the Games on Thursday.

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The report containing the details of all the stadias and venues prepared by the OC on Thursday would be sent to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) that had also initiated an enquiry into the sale of tickets.

HT had earlier reported how hundreds of spectators were turned away from venues in the absence of tickets at counters even though there were several vacant seats inside.

"We have prepared the report that includes session wise and venue wise details of the purchase of tickets. We are also accounting for the complimentary tickets that were printed in the run up to the Games," said a senior OC official.

The OC had made R40 crore through sale of tickets that included the opening and closing ceremonies. There were reports that on the opening ceremony 20 per cent seats were left vacant at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium owing to lack of coordination between agencies.

"The officials have been asked to give an account of all the complimentary tickets that were distributed to members of parliament (MP) and other VIPs," said the official.

The tickets for the opening ceremony cost R1,000, 5,000, 25,000 and 50,000. Anticipating that there would be no buyers for the tickets in the higher range, free passes were distributed to the some of the VVIPs. At least 217 passes were distributed by the ministry of sports to various MP and other dignitaries.

It is learnt that the OC had cancelled several complimentary tickets given to the volunteers and workforce on the day of the closing ceremony.

"We were given complimentary passes for the occasion but when we reached the venue we were informed that the bar coding had been cancelled and we would not be allowed entry," said a volunteer.