New Delhi: The city’s cultural calendar may soon see a revival if Delhi govt succeeds in its bid to lower the booking rates at two premier venues, Indira Gandhi Sports Complex and Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.Tourism and culture minister Kapil Mishra said both stadiums recently increased their booking rates exorbitantly, leading many big-ticket event organisers to prefer venues outside Delhi. The rate for Indira Gandhi Sports Complex has risen from Rs 8 lakh to Rs 20 lakh for a day while the same for JLN Stadium has surged from around Rs 4.5 lakh to Rs 50 lakh. The rates were increased around eight months ago, said officials.World-class venues in other states charge far less, said officials. DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai is available at Rs 17.5 lakh per day while Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium costs Rs 23 lakh. Even Mumbai’s Mahalaxmi Race Course, a prime location, charges Rs 13.5 lakh daily, an official claimed.Mishra has requested the central govt authorities managing the two stadiums to slash the current charges. He recently met Union sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya and sought his intervention. To restore Delhi’s competitiveness, the department has proposed a new pricing model that pegs Indira Gandhi Sports Complex at around Rs 5 lakh per day and JLN Stadium’s main arena for around Rs 20 lakh. Based on estimated average occupancy, the govt projects annual revenues of Rs 6 crore from IGI and Rs 24 crore from JLN stadiums, suggesting that lower prices could actually boost utilisation and income.The proposal is part of a broader roadmap to make Delhi more event-friendly. Delhi govt also plans to introduce a single-window clearance system to streamline licensing, ensure approvals at least a month in advance, and provide marketing and publicity support for large events.The govt is exploring strategic sponsorships, a model that has helped destinations like Rajasthan, Goa and even Edinburgh become synonymous with iconic festivals, said Mishra. It also wants to unlock heritage sites for premium events and weddings, creating new streams of high-value tourism and local employment. “Delhi has the potential to be a global cultural hub, but high costs and red tape are holding us back,” Mishra said.
