Surat: There is little possibility of garba being held in the ensuing Navratri festival in Indoor Stadium of Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC). The lowest tenderer, who had got the rights to hold garba for nine nights, has so far failed to make the requisite payment to SMC. The civic body would not be able to find a replacement for him at short notice now, with Navratri festival set to begin after six days. Should he back out, it will be first time in 15 years that there will be no garba during Navratri in Indoor Stadium.Rajesh Jain had won the rights to hold garba in Indoor Stadium by submitting a tender of Rs36.54 lakh. SMC allotted Indoor Stadium to him for Navratri after the proposal was passed by standing committee on September 15. Jain was to pay up the committed amount minus 10 per cent paid while filling the tender by October 2. However, he paid just Rs15 lakh and on Thursday told SMC officials that he would make the remaining payment on October 6. It was also first time when there was a single bidder. SMC had earned as much as Rs100 lakh in the past from organizers of garba in Indoor Stadium.“We will wait until October 6. If he fails to pay, we will open bookings for shows and there will be no garba this year in Indoor Stadium,” SK Dubey, SMC zonal chief, said.Commercial garba started from Indoor Stadium in the city. But now there are not many takers for it. “This year’s amount of Rs36 lakh was good considering that Indoor Stadium with a capacity to accommodate 7,000 people is losing out to bigger venues,” a SMC officer said.

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