Marriages at Rock Garden under lens

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 5

The holding of marriages at Rock Garden has come under the judicial scanner. In a petition filed before the Punjab and Haryana High Court, city resident Ram Kumar Garg has sought directions for restraining the UT Administration and other respondents from permitting marriage functions at Phase III of Rock Garden.

His counsel HC Arora contended that the Capitol Complex, including Rock Garden, in Sector 1 had been declared a silence zone vide a notification dated January 19, 2005. “By throwing open   Phase III of Rock Garden to marriage functions, the respondent (Administration) has ignored the fact that a large number of tourists, including those from abroad, are prevented from visiting the portion during their visit to Rock Garden, and therefore, go back disappointed,” he said.

He added that the respondent had earlier banned the holding of wedding parties at Rock Garden, but after 17 months, had reversed the order without giving any reasons, unmindful of the fact that Rock Garden was in a silence zone.  

Arora asserted that it could not be ignored that Chandigarh was one of the richest union territories in India with huge funds at its disposal, which at times remained unspent. According to an estimate, the Union Territory daily collected around Rs 1.5 lakh from visitors by selling tickets.