By Shyju Chacko
New Delhi:“Sorry, no ticket”. This was the common refrain at the ticket counters in most Games venues. Most ticket counters spotted long queues from th
e very morning. Majority of those lined up for tickets were ordinary people. But they had to return empty-handed. But inside the stadiums, the story was different. There were rows and rows of empty chairs till the last couple of days. The foreign media was celebrating the empty galleries of CWG and the alleged malpractices behind it.
According to reports, complimentary passes were issued in large numbers to sponsors, companies, officials and so on leading to the non-availability of tickets to genuine spectators. There were reports of complimentary passes being sold in black market.
Schools and colleges in Delhi and its neighbouring towns were closed so as to enable students to go and watch the Games. But, this purpose was defeated due to non-availability of tickets. The authorities could in fact give tickets to students at concessional rates. If so, the galleries would not have been empty.
Radhika, who came with her two children to watch athletics in Jawaharlal Nehru stadium, said her eight-year-old boy didn’t sleep the previous day thinking of the Games. He had helped his mother in the kitchen so as to reach the stadium early in the morning. But they too had to return without getting a ticket.
The authorities have no proper answers to the bungling. The fact is that Commonwealth Games has never been held of the ordinary citizens. It was meant for a few who benefitted from it in different ways. The common man was made to stand at the periphery and stare at the unfolding events with bewilderment.
According to reports, complimentary passes were issued in large numbers to sponsors, companies, officials and so on leading to the non-availability of tickets to genuine spectators. There were reports of complimentary passes being sold in black market.
Schools and colleges in Delhi and its neighbouring towns were closed so as to enable students to go and watch the Games. But, this purpose was defeated due to non-availability of tickets. The authorities could in fact give tickets to students at concessional rates. If so, the galleries would not have been empty.
Radhika, who came with her two children to watch athletics in Jawaharlal Nehru stadium, said her eight-year-old boy didn’t sleep the previous day thinking of the Games. He had helped his mother in the kitchen so as to reach the stadium early in the morning. But they too had to return without getting a ticket.
The authorities have no proper answers to the bungling. The fact is that Commonwealth Games has never been held of the ordinary citizens. It was meant for a few who benefitted from it in different ways. The common man was made to stand at the periphery and stare at the unfolding events with bewilderment.
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