20,000 tie the knot and Delhi is in a bind

NEW DELHI: The mad, mad, mad marriage season begins in Delhi on Wednesday with 20,000 weddings scheduled for the next few days - and with them endless traffic snarls, deafening fireworks, booming loudspeakers and baraat processions galore.

"Roughly 20,000 couples will tie the knot between Nov 21 and Dec 3. Around 5,000 couples tied the nuptial knot Wednesday - the auspicious day when god Vishnu and goddess Tulsi got married," said Lakshman Prasad, a well-known city priest.  

"This most auspicious day comes once a year. For instance, this is a perfect day for 'mangliks' to tie the nuptial knot," Prasad told IANS.

According to him after Dec 3 begins the period that is not considered auspicious for weddings. After that, superstitious Indians will only be getting married Jan 19.

Though Prasad put the number of weddings at 20,000, some say that the figure could be as high as 25,000.

While couples tie the knot, thousands of Delhiites find themselves in a bind - caught in fearsome traffic jams on the roads leading to the few venues that allow weddings.

However, traffic police claim they are tightening the noose this time.

"Around 250 traffic policemen will be specially deputed to regulate vehicular movement on the roads as during the peaks hours - 8.30 p.m. to 1.00 a.m. - around 50,000 vehicles will try to reach some marriage. At the same time, commercial vehicles also start plying," said Deputy Commissioner Police (traffic) R.K. Pandey.

"We have already briefed traffic inspectors about the marriage season and are making the necessary arrangements. We have also held meetings with the owners of banquets halls and farmhouses regarding the parking menace that creates traffic woes every year," Pandey told.

Organisers have been asked to provide private security guards who would help with the parking, he added.

Police are also requesting people to follow directions and adhere to traffic rules. "We also request everyone to pool cars if they are going to the same venue. This will help them and our officials in clearing traffic snarls."  

The woes don't end with the traffic.

With so many marriages around the same time, the demand for priests, hotel rooms, banquet halls, caterers, beauty parlours and florists has hit a high and suppliers are running short.
 
The capital has only 746 parks, 200 MCD community halls, 46 DDA parks, 50 DDA community halls, 58 farmhouses, 14 NDMC 'baraat ghars' and 20 NDMC parks.

"Last year, people were left in the lurch after the Supreme Court's sudden order of shutting down banquet halls operating in residential areas. This time, they have booked the venues in advance, arranging theme marriages, tent and catering services," said Bhuvnesh Sharma, manager at Sethi Caterers.