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Automobile fans planning to catch a glimpse of their dream rides at the Delhi Auto Expo next month would have to book tickets very early this time.
This is because the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO), operator of the fair venue ‘Pragati Maidan', has decided to limit entry of general visitors to 30,000 a day. The move comes even as the rush of visitors is expected to increase on the back of over 50 new launches and model unveilings.
“We're doing lots of changes in logistics, trying to minimise hitches. We're capping the visitors, so there are bound to be fewer people,” said Mr Rajive Kaul, Past President, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Chairman, Steering Committee, Auto Expo.
The organisers are CII, Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) and Automobile Component Manufacturers Association.
In all, one lakh visitors will be allowed on each of the seven days (January 5-11). About 30,000 slots are reserved for the exhibitors, 40,000 for invitee passes and the rest for general visitors. Tickets will also be available for sale online, apart from select gates at the venue.
Such a move will also take away the mantle of being the second largest auto show after Shanghai. In the last edition of the Delhi Auto Expo (2010), 1.2 million people visited the fair. This translated to 1.7 lakh people a day. Instead of going up this year, this number has been reduced drastically.
“We don't want stampedes in the area, it is better to have people who are interested,” said Mr S. Sandilya, President of SIAM.
SIAM though is not convinced with ITPO's decision. “It will be tough to really control the stream of visitors at a venue like Pragati Maidan. Also, with so much being invested in the expo, we would want more people to come and see the vehicles,” an official said.
In the last edition, fair organisers had received criticism for poor management and lack of movement space at the expo. This had led to chaotic situations at many stalls.
roudra.b@thehindu.co.in
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