DDA to come up with kalyan mandapams to check tent mafia

Construction of these structures will start within a month

To curb the menace of the tent mafia, the Delhi Development Authority is coming up with kalyan mandapams or designated venues for weddings in DDA properties across the city. Construction of these structures will start within a month.

The kalyan mandapams will be permanent structures in the form of a mandap constructed using iron pillars over a 2,000 square metre area inside a DDA property.

According to a DDA, these sites can be booked online by logging on to the official DDA website and filling in the details of the wedding function, including the date, names of the bride, groom and their pictures. The payment will also be received online for the booking.

Talking about the new scheme, DDA Vice-Chairman Balvinder Kumar said: : “We have formulated a scheme whereby we will ensure that no person is able to book a site for a long time. The

kalyan mandapams that we are going to set up can be booked for marriage purpose and other functions just for the day of the function. DDA officials will make sure that the area is vacated as soon as the function is over. This will put an end to the tent mafia.”

To ensure sufficient checks and balances so that allotments of these sites are not manipulated, some mandatory conditions are being imposed. Allotment will be done to only blood relatives like parents, brother, sister, etc., of the prospective bride or groom and necessary documents will have to be shown. The details of the bride and the prospective groom will also have to be provided at the time of booking, which will be cross-checked through surprise visits at the time of marriage. In case of a false submission, the security deposit will be forfeited.

DDA officials said the committee to look into complaints of the tent mafia was formed by Mr. Balvinder Kumar to review the policy with the twin objectives of ensuring that bookings are not manipulated by tent houses and spaces for social gatherings and functions are available in sufficient numbers to middle and lower income group residents.