People seeking to book the wedding grounds in their areas will no longer be fleeced at the hands of ‘tent mafias’ in the city. To get these venues rid of the tent mafias, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has decided to auction the most sought-after grounds to private parties and hence, freeing them from the hands of these elements. The allotment of these grounds will be done through e-tendering.
The DDA has formulated a new policy in which all wedding grounds have been categorised and will have different modes of allotment. While the most sought after grounds will now be auctioned on annual basis, others can be hired on booking basis. Further to make the procedure of booking foolproof, the DDA has made it mandatory that only those in blood relation with the bride/groom will be eligible for the ground. They will be required to produce documentary proof for the purpose. The details of bride and prospective groom will also have to be provided at the time of booking itself which will be cross-checked with the actual wedding through surprise checks at the time of marriage or at the time of the refund of security deposit.
“In the wake of complaints regarding manipulation of bookings despite the prevailing online booking system, DDA Vice-Chairman Balvinder Kumar constituted a committee to review the policy. This will not only keep a check on the tent mafia but also to provide ample sites for marriages and other functions to middle and lower income groups,” said a DDA official. However, the DDA is also set to revise the rates of these sites as per the demand and the area. The DDA has divided its 351 sites into four categories.
As per the policy, the most sought after premium marriage venues, having area more than 2000 square meters, will be auctioned. A total of 46 such spaces across the city will cater to the higher sections of the society who can afford to pay competitive prices for the purpose. However, the authority has assured availability of ample sites for the middle and lower income groups. “We have chosen 19 sites for developing kalyana mandapams to be given for marriage purposes. Earlier only 9 sites had been marked for kalyana mandapam in each zone. We will make sure that half a kilometre from every high-end auctioned site there will be a kalyana mandapam. Out of 351, around 315 sites (85 per cent) will be for the middle or lower middle class people,” added the official.
Besides that, 34 sites will be provided with steel trusses so that anybody hiring these spaces can put up a tent reducing the time required for dismantling and decoration. The fourth category will be the 262 open spaces wherein one can use the same as per one’s requirement, decoration etc.
The amount towards booking will have to be deposited by either the parents of the prospective bridegroom or groom or brother or sister (the first level of blood relations). The credit cards and debit cards which will be used for payment will be cross-checked from their account. Apart from that an inspection, on the day of marriage, will be done by the concerned junior engineer to ensure that the site is being used only by the person who has booked the marriage venue and also for the purpose for which it has been booked. Flying squad of the Vigilance Department will be constituted for surprise checks on such venues.