CWG tickets launched; prices range from Rs 50 to 50,000

Price ranging from a modest Rs 50 to a whopping Rs 50,000, tickets for this year's Commonwealth Games went on sale today with sports enthusiasts having the option of booking them online or through call centres.

The ticketing website -- www.tickets.cwgdelhi2010.org and a call center facility 1800-200-1294 to book the tickets -- were launched at a function here by Delhi Lt Governor Tejender Khanna, Organising Committee Chairman Suresh Kalmadi and city Mayor Prithiviraj Sahni. Ticket prices for the sporting events range from Rs 50 to Rs 1,000 while prices for the Opening and Closing Ceremony range from Rs 1,000 to Rs 50,000 and Rs 750 to Rs 50,000 respectively.

Four events will have free entry for fans -- the Marathon, the Walk, Cycling Road Race and Cycling Time Trial. Almost 40 per cent of the competition venue tickets have been put at Rs 200 or below, the Organising Committee said.

"Tickets is one of the four revenue streams for the Organising Committee, the others being Broadcast Rights, Sponsorship and Merchandise. I am sure ticketing will raise the budgeted revenues for us," Kalmadi said.

"Tickets have been reasonably priced to make it affordable for all. There will no entertainment tax on the tickets so that one can get full value of his money. We have put in place multiple sales channel to ensure wider distribution," Kalmadi added.

The sale of the tickets will start with immediate effect through the Central Bank of India and Hero Honda stores, CWG ticketing call center (1800-200-1294) as well as through the official website.

Indian Rail Catering and Tour Company (IRCTC) has been appointed the official ticketing agency along with Broad Vision Systems and TicketPro. IRCTC will sell tickets via the Internet, call center, a network of retail outlets and at different sporting venues during the Games.

There will be around 17 lakh tickets available for sale. The ticket sales will be done in three phases. During phase-I (June 1 to July 31), spectators buying the tickets will be provided with a confirmation voucher which will be exchanged for actual tickets beginning August 1, also marking the start of phase-II.

During the second phase (August 1 to September 31), the spectators will have actual tickets against every purchase. Phase-III, which will begin just before the Games (October 1), will see venue sales outlets also added to the sales channel.

Ticket sales in international markets began in November 2009 while sales to sponsors began last month. Each ticket holder can 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.