By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Aug 24: Durand Cup fever has taken over the state.
The much-anticipated Durand Cup semi-final clash between Northeast United FC and Shillong Lajong FC, set for August 26 at JN Stadium, has sparked excitement among fans. Supporters have flocked to the capital from across the state to secure tickets for the highly anticipated Northeast derby.
However, much to the fans’ chagrin, the ticket sales process has been marred by gross mismanagement.
Online booking was available only for a limited time, adding to the challenges faced by fans. The ticket sales, which began on Saturday, saw fans waiting for hours in the heavy rain that lashed the city. Initially, tickets were available at three locations — Polo, Café Shillong in Laitumkhrah, and Khyndai Lad.
To ease congestion, the organisers opened an additional counter at U Soso Tham Auditorium in IGP, which began operations at around 5 pm. By that time, fans had already waited in line for 2-3 hours before the announcement of the new counter.
The limited availability of tickets further fueled discontent, as each counter was allotted only 1,000 tickets.
Moreover, there were no special arrangements for elderly or differently-abled fans, forcing them to endure long waits.
Only one ticket per person was allowed, worsening the situation.
In one incident, a 77-year-old man stood in line at the Soso Tham Auditorium for hours before some media persons intervened and helped him move to the front of the line to secure a ticket. He was trying to buy a ticket for his football-loving grandson.
The ticket counter at Polo had to be closed due to the commotion and chaos, as there were no proper arrangements to manage the crowd effectively.
During the quarterfinal match, tickets were declared sold out; however, many seats remained empty, raising concerns about the ticketing process. A source indicated that the state government had not anticipated such a large turnout of supporters, despite Meghalaya’s well-known passion for football.
To prevent fraud, organisers introduced hologram-embedded tickets this time, as there were previous incidents of counterfeit tickets being printed and brought to the venue.