NEW DELHI: Sluggish traffic, road barricades for marriage processions, loud bangs of ‘dhols’ and DJs during commute, and parking headache awaits Delhiites as the wedding season kicked off on Tuesday.
With around 4.5 lakh weddings expected to be held over the next three weeks, Delhi Police have deployed 1,500 to 2,000 traffic personnel to smoothen the flow of vehicles.
The first phase of the wedding season, which spans 18 days, began on Tuesday and will continue till December 16, according to the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT). Around 50,000 weddings are scheduled for the day in the national capital, it said. Wedding bands and banquet halls across the city are witnessing a surge in demand for bookings.
A senior police officer said that regular meetings are being held with banquet hall owners to ensure that parking arrangements are in place. “We advise venues without on-site parking to arrange for valet services. We are also focussing on curbing drunk driving and managing ‘baraats’ to avoid congestion on main roads,” the officer said.
Patrolling bikes have been stationed across the city to help maintain traffic flow, he added. Wedding vendors in the city are gearing up for a busy
month ahead.
Jakir Khan, owner of Rajdhani Band, reported receiving 75 to 80 bookings for November, with five to six new bookings daily. Similarly, Karishma of Jea Band Group has secured around 80 bookings, including 14 for today, and noted a rise in destination wedding bookings.
Mohammad Rihaan of White and Green Wedding Planners has 50 contracts for this month, while Harindra Tomar has 25, expecting more as the season progresses. Praveen Khandelwal, Secretary General of CAIT, linked the wedding season’s start to Dev Uthani Ekadashi and estimated the season will generate over Rs 6 lakh crore in
economic activity.