From Delhi to Tirupati without reservation

Deepankar Sharda
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, November 28

Chandigarh’s junior athletics teams, comprising six boys and five girls, couldn’t get reserved seats while travelling to Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, to participate in the 16th National Inter-District Junior Championship. The team left for Tirupati from New Delhi at 1.20 am on Wednesday, and the squad will spend two nights without reserved seats while covering a distance of approximate 2,100kms.

Worse, the players have not been provided with diet-money to be used while travelling to the venue by the Chandigarh Athletics Association. “I came with the team for the first team and it’s one of the worst experiences for me. I have never travelled like this,” said Ranjit Rana, manager of the team.

While the players are suffering, Chandigarh Athletics Association president Harjinder said they have done their best for the players. “I have spent from my own pocket to get these tickets and this is the best we can do. I took over as the president this year only and if anyone is unhappy with me, he/she can replace me with the person of their choice. The association does not have any money,” said Harjinder. “We had requested city MP Kirron Kher to write a letter to the Railways Ministers for some help. However, it was also of no use. The team was selected on November 23 and this is what we got.”

As for not providing the players with diet money, he passed the buck to the host state. “It is the responsibility of the host state to provide food/diet,” he said. Asked if the teams could have been selected earlier for confirmed reservation, he said, “We cannot select the team a month prior to the championship. A players’ performance remain same for nearly 21 days only. After selecting the team, we started the reservation process. It’s not our fault that the team has not got any reserved seats, we have given them tickets.”

The tickets, though, were booked on November 14.