Delhi has emerged as the most sought after destination for Pakistani VVIPs, VIPs and celebrities for the upcoming bilateral series as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has sought almost 700 tickets for the January 6 one-day match here.
This is besides the 1,000 tickets earmarked for fans.
It is the highest number of tickets that the PCB would be buying at any of the five venues hosting the matches, beginning on December 25 in Bangalore. The visiting delegation to Delhi is expected to include ministers, celebrities and businessmen, even though Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari has chosen to go to Kolkata for the second ODI.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is also keen to play the perfect host, particularly to the VVIPs and VIPs who would be heading to India from all parts of the world to watch the first India-Pakistan bilateral series in five years. Sources said that the BCCI has told the match-hosting associations to reserve the best seats for these guests, and ensure a constant supply of snacks and beverages for them during the matches.
It was decided at a recent BCCI working committee meeting that four of the five match- hosting associations would reserve 50 tickets for the VIPs as per PCB’s request while for Delhi the number was 100. Besides these, the source said, the PCB has sought 30 seats in the VVIP Box, 50 tickets in the highest paid enclosure of the stadium and 500 tickets in general stands of the Ferozeshah Kotla, taking the number to 680.
“The BCCI has told the associations that they should also provide car parking space for these VVIPs and VIPs and ensure that they are served well while watching matches. Preferably, they should be housed in corporate boxes, which are there at all stadiums, and food and beverage services should be close to their enclosure,” a top source told Mail Today. At the same time, the Home Ministry has, for the first time, told the BCCI to provide a list of hotels, along with room tariff, where the visiting fans could stay. The source said that the ministry would set up a “police reporting desk” at all the hotels where fans would stay, so that they can keep an eye on them as well as make their stay hassle- free.
At a recent meeting with top BCCI officials in Delhi, home ministry officials spelled out the strict do’s and don’ts for the associations that will host the matches, to be played in Bangalore (T20 International, Dec 25), Ahmedabad (T20 International, Dec 27), Chennai (ODI, Dec 30), Kolkata (ODI, Jan 3) and Delhi.
“The BCCI told the association representatives to inform the chief secretary of the state, the state police, and the district magistrate about the match so that they could make the necessary bandobast,” the source said.” The Board will inform the home ministry about these match details so that it could coordinate with the host states.
A ministry liaison officer will travel with the team throughout the series,” he disclosed.
All five associations have been asked to provide a list of hotels to fans for booking rooms. “These hotels, not the ones where the two teams would be staying, should preferably have many rooms so that many fans could stay at one place for easy monitoring.” the source said.
“Amongst the details that were mandatory for the associations to submit by December 1 was the room tariff, and name of persons who should be contacted for booking rooms,” he said.
“The ministry explained that it was necessary because it would be instructing the police to set up police desk for fans. This could serve two purposes: assistance for fans and monitor them.” The police are taking precaution especially as some Pakistani fans, who had come to watch matches during the previous bilateral series in 2007, stayed back without valid visas.” That is why this time fans will get visas on producing match tickets, hotel accommodation, and return tickets to their homes,” said the source. “The ministry has specifically told top BCCI officials that these are the obligations and they are to be met by all five associations where matches will be played, besides fixing deadlines for delivery of tickets to the PCB.”
