TV
A row has erupted over ticket distribution for the eagerly awaited international cricket match between India vs England at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack on February 9.
While the historic venue has a capacity of 45,000 seats, only 24,000 tickets have been released to the public, prompting backlash over the remaining 21,000 tickets being reserved as passes for VIPs and VVIPs.
Moreover, several cricket fans have been left disheartened, standing in long queues amid scorching sun, chaos and stampede only to end up empty-handed. The long queues and unmet demand have posed a significant challenge for local police, tasked with crowd control amidst rising tensions.
Though the offline tickets were sold out at the counters on Wednesday, several fans were found standing in queues outside the counters near the stadium to purchase tickets.
“Earlier, it was announced that offline tickets will be available for selling in the counters on February 5 and 6. We waited in long queues for several hours today to buy tickets. However, we were told to our utter dismay that all the offline tickets have been sold out,” rued a fan.
“As per the earlier announcement, we have been waiting in long queues since last night to buy tickets. However, we are disappointed to know that no more offline tickets are left,” rued another fan.
Reflecting on the disturbances during ticket sales, Cuttack DCP Jagmohan Meena said, “Our focus is now on how to conduct the match in a smooth manner. We can do the post-mortem about the ticket sale later.”
Allegations have emerged against the Odisha Cricket Association (OCA), accusing it of placing the interests of high-profile guests above those of the general public. The privileged allocation of 21,000 passes has drawn criticism, especially when compared to larger stadiums like the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, holding 1,32,000 spectators, and the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, with a 68,000 capacity.
“The general public is getting disappointed for not getting tickets despite severe hardships. Hence, the number of tickets issued to the VIPs and VVIPs should be decreased. The number of tickets sold for the general public should be increased,” said Rudra Prasad Behera, a cricket fan.
“The number of seats at the Barabati Stadium has increased in comparison to the previous time. However, there are many stadiums in India with huge audience capacity. Efforts should be made to increase the number of seats at the Barabati Stadium. Moreover, the number of passes for the VVIPs should be decreased so that more general public will get the opportunity to enjoy international cricket matches at the stadium,” said senior sports analyst Sandeep Mishra.
In response to the uproar, officials from the OCA have promised to deliberate with board members, considering increased ticket availability and seating capacity in the future.
“We are following the procedure followed by all the State associations in ticket distribution. The procedure is being followed as per the earlier tradition. If the capacity of the stadium increases, the number of passes will be the same and the number of tickets to be sold will increase. We are very much eager that the audience capacity of the Barabati stadium should increase,” said OCA Vice-President Pankaj Lochan Mohanty.
However, the pressing issue of expanding Barabati Stadium’s capacity, a venue of great significance, remains unresolved, leaving fans hopeful for better arrangements in upcoming events.
