Now an anti-dote for fake tickets

CHENNAI: Felt cheated when you didn't get the seat you paid for at the stadium and missed watching Sachin Tendulkar make his 35th century? In all probability, someone with a fake ticket took your seat. This won't happen if sporting associations catch on to the latest technology to detect fake tickets.

The technology uses a software to read bar-codes, similar to those used at your local super-market but capable of being customised to do more functions, says D J Gokulakrishnan, business development manager of IC Infotech (an India Cements group company), which created the software. The un-named software will, for now, be known as 'crowd control solution service'.

The way it works is simple enough. You present your bar-coded ticket at the entrance to the stadium; the ticket is scanned by the bar-code scanner attached to a computer, which registers details like the seat number and the stand's name.

Nobody else will be permitted in with the same ticket, leaving no room for fake tickets. Besides, the system also records what time a person has entered or left the stadium, therefore doing away with the issuance of out-passes.

"Usually, if the crowd capacity of a venue is 5,000, at least 1000 to 2000 more people are present at the venue using fake tickets or due to various persons using the same ticket," says Gokulakrishnan.

The crowd control software was tested for the first time last year at the M A Chidambaram cricket stadium in Chennai during last year's India-Australia test match on a crowd of 7,000 that was seated at the pavilion and terrace.

Kasi Viswanathan, assistant secretary of the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA), told DNA that the system will be installed for all the stands at the MAC Stadium in time for the next match on the ICC calendar to be held in Chennai.

"The initial cost of implementing the system worked out to Rs 5 lakhs. This may go up to Rs 10-12 lakhs when implemented in the whole of the stadium. Usually TNCA bags at least one one-day or test match ever year. The next match to be held, depending on the ICC's decision, may be one of the Champion's trophy matches or Bangladesh's tour of India," says Viswanthan.

Gokulakrishnan says that IC Infotech is working on enhancing the software with newer and improved versions of it, which would include recognition of photo identity and co-relating it with the bar-code. "The newer such version can be used in places that require high security with restricted access to people, such as the Prime Minister's or President's residences."