The Times of India         01.12.2010

Only four marriage halls in PCMC legal

PUNE: Only four of the 57 marriage halls in Pimpri Chinchwad are legal, said Dilip Kudale, co-ordinator of the engineering department in the Pimpri Chinchwad municipal corporation (PCMC).

Strict action against the violators is anticipated as the PCMC and Pimpri-Chinchwad New Township Development Authority (PCNTDA) have started serving notices to the hall owners, Kudale said.

The four authorised marriage halls are located in zone B. There are nine halls in zone A and none of them are authorised. Five of these fall in PCMC limits while the remaining are in PCNTDA areas. Of the 16 halls in zone B, nine are in PCMC out of which five are illegal. The remaining seven are located in PCNTDA areas. There are 16 marriage halls each in zones C and D and none of them are legal.

Kudale said, "11 marriage halls are located in PCNTDA limits. The PCMC has started issuing notices to all the 42 unauthorised constructions. So far, three marriage hall owners in zone C and 11 in zone D have been served notices."Kudale said, "During the one month notice, the owners either need to show the building permission documents or obtain such a permission from the PCMC. If they fail to get either of these, the PCMC will demolish their halls."

Suhas Divse, chief executive officer of the PCNTDA said, "We have recently received possession of the land on which seven illegal marriage halls were operating. The PCNTDA has served them notices last week. The notice period will expire by December 3 or 4. The police have been told to provide protection to our employees when they undertake a demolition drive after December 4."

Almost all marriage halls in the municipal limits have inadequate parking facilities, which forces people to park their vehicles along roads thus causing congestion. The traffic police have decided to take action against owners of such marriage halls, said Manoj Patil, deputy commissioner of police (traffic).