The lack of adequate space in Delhi for holding social functions especially marriages has put the MCD in quandary. The common venues for celebrating marriages are banquet halls, municipal parks and the farmhouses. While banquet halls create car-parking problems as the roads on which they are situated are choked with cars causing great hardships to the traffic; the municipal parks besides creating parking problems, are themselves damaged beyond recognition the day after the marriage functions are held.

A municipal public park, which is a boon to the eyes gets morphed into an eye sore with heaps of garbage littered all over its green lawns. The park becomes out of bounds for the general public and children at least two days before the marriage function is to be held. Its very objective of providing peaceful rest, leisurely walks and exercises to the public in green and wholesome environment is defeated.

An interesting yet problematic feature of marriages is that the learned pundits most of the time declare a particular day/days as being the only auspicious time for marriage for one and all. This sends the organizers of the marriages into a state of frenzied search of suitable venue to host hundreds of invitees. In some cases the public parks are choke-a-block with pandals erected so close to each other that it becomes difficult for the guests to identify the venue of their hosts. Some guests stray into the marriages of others.

The third option are the farmhouses lying on the outskirts of Delhi. The farmhouses, being spacious, can hold thousands of guests in one go. Sometimes, the farmhouses, too, hold multiple marriages simultaneously. Farmhouses hold great attraction for the rich and powerful persons because of the multimedia facilities such as televised marriages, playing facilities for children, colorful fountains, spacious lawns, flowery trees and other similar attractions.

It may, however, be noted that the Delhi High Court has banned the marriages on farmhouse on PIL filed against the misuse of farmhouses for commercial purposes.

Vijender Gupta, the chairman of the standing committee of the Delhi Development Authority said that there is a plan to auction land to private entrepreneurs to develop facilities for holding functions. Since it will take time, the Lt Governor Tejendra Khanna, after seeking the approval from the High Court, has temporarily permitted the use of certain categories of farmhouses for holding social functions subject to fulfillment of certain guidelines. The farmhouse should be situated at least on a 60 feet wide road. They would be allowed to hold functions only for 120 days every year that too under certain conditions.