‘Illegal’ marriage gardens emerge as traffic hazard on Surajkund road

Bijendra Ahlawat

Faridabad, February 6

The majority of farmhouses converted into marriage gardens along the Surajkund road have become the cause of traffic jams. The police have registered as many as seven cases in the past two days against some of these marriage gardens.

Crafts mela adds to commuters’ woes

• The flow of traffic on the main Surajkund road, which also serves as an alternative route to Delhi from here, has increased by more than 20 times due to the ongoing international crafts mela
• Additional police force has been deployed in response to the increase in the number of vehicles since the fair’s inauguration recently
• However, chaos ensues after sunset as there is no one to regulate traffic and the movement of vehicles of guests attending marriage functions exacerbates the traffic situation

A spokesperson for the police department revealed that the lack of adequate parking arrangements for guests attending functions has led to severe problems for commuters on this road. Traffic congestion near banquet halls and marriage venues has prompted the police to take legal action. The spokesperson mentioned that while cases under Section 283 of the IPC have been registered against seven marriage gardens located on the Surajkund road in the past 48 hours, the police have issued warnings to book cases if traffic blockades occur due to parking issues near such places in the city. Offenders could face penalties and imprisonment of up to one month if convicted, according to the police.

It is reported that the parking of hundreds of vehicles belonging to attendees of marriages or similar functions on the main road has been the primary cause of traffic disruptions on the Surajkund road and near Sikri village on National Highway-19, where a large number of banquet halls and marriage venues are located. The traffic jam on the Surajkund road resulted in vehicle movement disruption for over three hours on Monday night, with vehicles stuck in over a one-km-long jam.

“Traffic jams have become common on the Surajkund road during the marriage season due to the lack of traffic regulation,” says Ajay Bahl, a resident. He claims that the problem mainly arises due to illegal parking on the road, and the absence of strict action or regulation has exacerbated the issue. According to sources in the district administration, a majority of the farmhouses used as marriage gardens on the Surajkund road are illegal due to being located on forest land and are facing demolition.

Sube Singh, PRO of the police department, stated that while notices or warnings have already been issued regarding parking at such places, action has been taken against offenders as per the rules. He also mentioned that cases had been registered in connection with similar incidents last year as well.