Who will pay for the bus and Metro tickets of thousands of spectators arriving for the Commonwealth Games events? The question has both the cash-strapped Delhi government and the Games organising committee in a fix.

The question arose after the traffic police sought a system of common ticketing — that is, a stadium ticket can double as a Metro or DTC pass. The idea, according to officials, is meant to ensure there are fewer cars on the roads.

The traffic police are anticipating a heavy rush during the Games fortnight as one lane will be dedicated for athletes to travel to the venues.

“Every stadium has a Metro station in the vicinity,” Joint Commissioner (Traffic) S N Shrivastava said. “The Jawaharlal Nehru stadium, for example, has two Metro stations (near it). If spectators are allowed to use the same ticket for entry to the Games venues as well to travel in the Metro, they are more likely to dump their cars.”

The fund-starved government, though, is shying away from the extra expenditure. According to estimates, the government will have to shell out Rs 20 crore for DTC and Metro passes if the plan is implemented. A DTC pass for a day costs Rs 40; Delhi Metro charges Rs 50 for a day-long pass.

“DTC has offered to give us a 20 per cent discount, while the Metro has rejected the proposal for a fare waiver. We will soon work out a solution,” Delhi Chief Secretary Rakesh Mehta told Newsline.

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