Single-screen theatre owners irked with HC ruling on online ticketing

KOLHAPUR: Single-screen theatre owners across Maharashtra have expressed their displeasure at the state Revenue and Forest department's instruction to theatres to implement their own online ticket selling system by April 1, 2014.
A government notification was issued on March 18 on the same, following the Bombay high court's March 4 decision to initiate the online ticketing process without levying any extra service charge or Internet convenience fee on booked tickets from the public.The Revenue department had instructed all district collectors to notify theatre owners in their jurisdiction about the court decision and have been advised to take a personal look into the progress of the implementation and advertisement of the new online system.
"The online ticket selling system can well be implemented in metros and high population cities, but it may not be possible in towns of the state with lesser populations. The lack of availability of skilled manpower to implement such new setups and investment are the main problems that need to be addressed here," Nitin Datar, president, Cinema Owners and Exhibitors Association of India, told TOI on Sunday.
Many single-screen theatres still employ conventional methods of physical, over-the-counter ticket sale or phone booking for their daily ticket selling/booking operations.
Datar said that the association will discuss the issue in a meeting soon and that it could challenge the decision if necessary. "No doubt, the decision will facilitate audiences. But the ground reality and the convenience of theatre owners should be taken in consideration as well," Datar said.
According to Datar, the state has 461 single-screen theatres and around 50 multiplexes.
Suryakant Patil, president, Kolhapur District Cinema Exhibitors Association told TOI that though he welcomes the decision on the new system, its productivity must be assessed in rural areas and urban areas with lesser populations. "The time given to set up and start websites needs to be extended," Patil said.
The manager of a Kolhapur-based single-screen theatre, who was unaware of the implementation of the system, said investing money in the online booking system seems to be a "waste", with most theatres struggling to fill up a house even on weekends due to lack of good films.
"Many multiplex chains already offer their own online ticket booking systems. But many single-screen theatres are still unaware of the system. It is difficult to buy tickets in person for blockbusters and audiences may have to buy tickets from touts charging a higher price.
The online booking system might resolve this problem," said Umesh Bagade, a Kolhapur local and an avid film-lover.
GRSTATES
*Implement online ticket service/system by April 1, 2014
*No extra service charge should be levied on booked tickets from the public while offering the new service
*Advertize proposed website of the online ticketing system through print, radio and other media
*The state Revenue department has asked all district collectors to instruct theatre owners in their jurisdiction about the system
*District collectors have been advised to take a personal look into the progress of implementation and advertising of the new system
Current ticket booking system
*Many single-screen theatres still operate through conventional, ticket counter sales. Counters typically open an hour before a particular show
*In the absence of the online booking system, audiences usually cannot choose their seats in a theatre
*Audiences book their tickets in advance through phone booking
Advantages of online booking system
*Audiences get to know status of the show well in advance
*Can reserve preferred seating arrangements
*Available 24x7
*No queues; no tickets sold by touts
Number of single-screen theatres across Maharashtra: 461
Number of multiplexes across the state: Around 50
(Source: Cinema Owners and Exhibitors Association of India)