Members of housing societies will have to forego watching the match together on big screens.
Nobody wants to miss even a single moment of the India-Pakistan World Cup semi-final match on Wednesday. In fact, several members of city housing societies want a projector installed in their premises to enjoy the match on big screen. However, due to severe shortage of screen-projectors in the city, the rent rates have gone up exponentially.
Normally, for one day, the projector rent ranges between Rs1,500 and Rs2,100. But now, due to the shortage, the rent has gone up to around Rs5,000-Rs6,000. Worse still, despite many people ready to pay the increased rent, unavailability of the projectors has left them disappointed.
There is some respite, however, in the form of theatres that will be screening the match. People have also booked tickets for the same. Kashyap Sompura, owner of PC Zone at Dadar, said, “I have got a number of calls from across the city but all my 10 projectors are already booked and the rent is almost double. I got calls for projectors after India defeated Australia in the quarter-final. I am not able to organise more even for some of my close friends.”
“Since the past three days, we have received several calls from friends and customers, demanding a projector. But I have only three and all are booked. To watch this match they are ready to pay almost double the rent, but I am not able to fulfill their demand,” said Jitendra Todnakar from Prabhadevi, who has a private video-shooting and photography business.
Ajay Makwana from Jai Hari co-operative housing society, Nana Chowk, said, “Nobody wants to miss this match. Some of my friends from the society have postponed their appointments and are not going to work. Luckily, we have a projector because a friend is in regular contact with the owner of a shop in Grant Road.”
Nitin Avhad from Gokuldham co-operative housing society, Mumbai Central, said, “We have been searching for a projector over the past two days. We are ready to pay more money but nobody has given a confirmation yet. We have also contacted some doctors from a private hospital for the projector. They too have asked us to wait."
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