Chandigarh tricity hotels, markets gear up for India-Pak T20 World Cup clash
Deepankar Sharda
Chandigarh, June 7
From mouth-watering menus to placing big screens, the local hotel industry is all geared up for the live telecast of the iconic India-Pakistan T20 World Cup clash on June 9.
Not only the hoteliers, but market associations are also planning to place big screens in various markets to make cricket buffs enjoy the much awaited event of the year.
The highly anticipated match between the arch rivals is scheduled to be played at Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York. The match is scheduled to start from 8pm, and since it’s a weekend (Sunday), the local hoteliers are expecting a good turnout of cricket lovers.
“This is one of the most awaited events of the year and the local hotels are ready to give a lifetime experience to the fans. We are already telecasting the matches on big screens in our hotel, and on that day we will be having a special screening,” said Manmohan Singh, Chairman, Hotel and Restaurant Association of Chandigarh and CEO of a Sector 22 famous hotel.
“The local hotel industry awaits such events, and since it involves India and Pakistan, it’s going to be huge. In order to provide a real stadium environment, we have made special arrangements and introduced a special ‘cricket’ menu to mark the occasion. The Indian team is in great form and we are expecting a good crowd of cricket lovers,” said Ankit Gupta, president, Chandigarh Hospitality Association and owner of a Sector 35-based hotel.
Not only big screens, but some restaurants are offering discounts to cricket lovers on the match day. “We have planned a special screening of the India-Pakistan match and also offering a special discount of 25 per cent on food. We will be serving a special menu named ‘Tricolour Rice’, ‘Paneer Kohlidar’, ‘Tricolour drinks’ to cricket enthusiasts,” said Vijay Kumar, a restaurant manager at Sector 9, Panchkula.
Another Panchkula-based restaurant changed their dinner theme to Tricolour. “We will be serving some types of mocktails at the fall of every wicket to the customers. In addition, the restaurant will offer a 30 per cent discount on the India-Pakistan match day and we have placed a special screening (theatre experience) to let the viewers enjoy the clash,” added Aashutosh Rana, a manager at another Panchkula-based restaurant.
Meanwhile, various market committees have also made arrangements to install huge screens in order to let people enjoy the match while shopping. “The match is scheduled to be held at 8pm and these are the peak hours for our business. For the benefit of the traders and the customers, we will be installing huge screens in the main markets of the city,” said a representative of the Sector 22 market association. In the past also huge screens had been installed at various markets, including Sectors 22, 17, 41 and Mani Majra.
Police to keep a vigil eye
For peaceful showing of matches at public places, the Chandigarh Police personnel will be deployed at various spots. The UT Administration is likely to give approval to telecast the match live at public places in order to control any untoward situation. Any kind of celebration, which is likely to create some disturbance in the public, will be checked by the local police.
