Though there’s only nine days to go for the festival, officials at the Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Limited (TCGL) are yet to decide on whom to give the contract of buying air tickets and send it to the foreign participants.

Sources in the government said the process begun in the first week of this month while it should have started at least a month before, as tickets must reach the foreign participants at least ten days in advance so that they get the visas in time.

With such an inordinate delay in getting through with the ticket procurement process, it is barely likely that foreign kite flying experts will be able to reach in time if at all they reach. Generally, around 125 to 150 kite experts attend the festival but this time the number may go down.

TCGL Managing Director J D Desai admitted that there was delay, adding that the procedure of sending visa letters was under way. On being asked if it was a bit too late, he said this time the Corporation had adopted the tender procedure for air ticket procurement for participants, and expressed the hope that the delay would be absorbed by the time saved through e-ticketing.