New Delhi – The indoor velodrome cycle track arena built for the Commonwealth games at a cost of 150 crore is not being used as often as officials expected. Having discovered that no one in India has any interest or knowledge whatsoever of cycle track racing, officials are searching for alternative uses for the highly specialized building.

Director of the Indian velodrome association (IVA) Sanjay Malhotra explained that the arena had limited alternative uses due to the steeply banked oval tracks and sharp 180-degree turns, making it difficult to “have a cocktail party there, let alone a concert or another sporting event.”

The failure of the initial revenue model of “hoping to host the Olympics or Commonwealth games every 4 years,” has forced the IVA to market the sport and hope to sell indoor track cycling t-shirts and coffee mugs. The IVA has begun a marketing campaign promoting the sport, trying to sell it to locals with the catchy slogan: “Like speed? Like circles? Time to get your drome on!” But so far the campaign has received a muted response.

Despite the numerous setbacks, the IVA still has hopes the sport will grow and arena used for something other than a place for homeless people to sleep. Mr. Malhotra insists that he had “a couple people interested in trying it out last year,” but admits they lost interest “once they were informed of the high costs for the specialized bicycle and helmet.” He suggested that anyone interested in taking up the sport arrange for his or her bicycle to be purchased from Germany, the only place they are made, and begin the required three-month training course. Interested parties should get their orders in now, since the bikes take “between 4-6 months to be made, give or take a month.”