The big shift has resulted in a a huge loss to the State’s hospitality industry. “The shifting of the matches has led to a revenue loss of more than Rs 100 crore to the state exchequer,” Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) press secretary Mohit Sood said Wednesday.
He said over 22,000 tourists, mainly from the plains of northern India, were likely to have visited Dharamsala during the match slated for March 19. HPCA says the local hospitality industry was to get a major boost as a galaxy of Bollywood stars and corporate honchos were slated to descend here to witness the match.
Business tycoons like Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani, Videocon owner Venugopal Dhoot and Adani group chairman Gautam Adani had made their bookings for the match, an HPCA functionary said. Union Ministers Arun Jaitley and Piyush Goyal and BJP national president Amit Shah had also expressed interest.
VISA ISSUES: The last-minute shift may result in Pakistani fans having a tough time in procuring visa for the March 19 encounter. Around 200 Pak fans were expected to arrive at Dharamsala but now only 20 may reach Eden Gardens. There will be 30,000 tickets will be up for sale for public at the biggest stadium in the country. “It is not easy for a Pakistani passport holder to get an Indian visa. The clearances take time. With only eight days left, it is difficult to procure the visa. In order to apply for visa, you need to give a photocopy of your ticket,” tournament director MV Sridhar told reporters in New Delhi.
It is a three-tier process for Pakistan team to get the Indian visa. First clearance from Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, then (MHA) followed by MEA.
“The reason behind Kolkata and not Mohali being chosen as the venue for the high profile match is “because in Kolkata, Pakistan are already playing. So, it is easier to continue into the Indo-Pak tie there” Sridhar said.