Ranchi, Jan. 9: Eylex, the state’s first multiplex project, costing Rs 8 crore, is ready at Hinoo.

But the multiplex comprising two screens and 350 seats, which was to be inaugurated on December 14, and then on January 16, could be delayed further.

The government has put a ceiling of maximum Rs 60 per ticket at multiplexes having a minimum of three screens and 750 seats.

Narayan Jalan, the promoter of Eylex, is likely to extend the inaugural date further because he fears that the multiplex project is not financially feasible under the prevalent government policy, which restricts him to selling tickets for less than Rs 25, against the rate in multiplexes in other states, which charge anywhere between Rs 100 and Rs 200 per ticket.

Jalan said he has requested the government to remove the ceiling so that he can make the project sustainable.

“I am ready to make the hall functional in less than a fortnight. I have already invested Rs 7-8 crore. I am only waiting for the government to remove the ceiling, which they have assured us of,” Jalan said.

He also pointed out that Eylex has only two screens and 350 sets and is not in the category of the ceiling.

Sources close to the promoter said he has made up his mind not to inaugurate the multiplex till the government ceiling is removed, since two screens cannot charge even Rs 60 per ticket. Besides, it cannot attract Jharkhand government subsidy of tax concession for five years, since multiplexes here mean a cinema hall with three screens and minimum 750 seats. The government is doing nothing for multiplexes, but has imposed a ceiling that is acting as a deterrent, said sources close to Jalan.

The construction of Eylex began in August 2005.

Since then, the promoter has been trying to get the clause changed, but in vain, they added.

“A multiplex is a costly affair since it needs a massive investment and proper maintenance. Besides 50-60 per cent of the revenue, collected through tickets, is grossed by the film distri-butor. If a multiplex char-ges less, the promoter cannot sustain the project. Under the prevailing norms, not one multiplex will come up in Jharkhand,” sources, close to the promoter, said.

Nobody from the urban development department, which controls the halls in Jharkhand, could be contacted for comments.

Commercial tax secretary Alka Tiwari said they give tax concession to new multiplexes for five years in Ranchi, Jamshedpur, Adityapur, Dhanbad and Bokaro.

Mutilplexes get tax concessions for seven years in Hazaribagh, Deoghar, Palamu and Giridih (urban) and 10 years in the rest of the districts of the state.

Meanwhile, the federation of Jharkhand Chamber of Commerce and Indus-tries president, Arjun Jalan, has also requested the go-vernment to remove the ceiling on tickets of multi-plexes.

This policy has also put on hold another project, which involves converting the Uphaar Cinema at Ratu Road into a two-screen multiplex.