Guwahati, June 13: The efforts of the Assam government and the organising committee to fly in the athletes from Bangkok for the Asian Grand Prix Athletics Meet here on June 23 had to be finally abandoned today.

Altogether 194 athletes will now land here in three flights from Delhi on June 21. The decision was taken at a meeting of the organising body this evening.

A portion of the 50-member Indian contingent will join the other athletes here on later dates.

On return, all the 233 athletes will fly from here to Mumbai in two flights for the third leg of the event at Pune on June 25.

Necessary hotel arrangements have also been made for accommodating the athletes and officials, said organising committee secretary general Pradeep Buragohain.

Chief minister Tarun Gogoi had requested the civil aviation ministry for a chartered flight from Bangkok to Guwahati and then from Guwahati to Mumbai. The move was initiated to reduce the cost of travel.

The organising body has also decided to issue free entry passes to spectators for the daylong meet.

“We will put up booths at different points in the city from where the spectators will be able to collect the passes. Besides, we are sending a sufficient number of passes to the district sports associations,” Buragohain said.

The Indira Gandhi Athletics Stadium has a seating capacity of 30,000.