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`Regulate use of parks for marriages'

Legal Correspondent

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has asked the Municipal Corporation of Delhi and the Delhi Development Authority to take immediate steps to regulate use of parks in the city for marriage and other commercial purposes.

A Bench of Chief Justice Y.K. Sabharwal and Justice C.K. Thakker took note of an order passed by the apex court way back in 1996 directing the authorities to take steps to gradually put an end to use of green areas in the Capital for marriages and other functions.

Counsel S. Murlidhar brought to the notice of the Court that while the 1996 order stipulated that the number of parks let out for commercial purposes should be gradually reduced, in the last 10 years the number of parks used thus had actually increased. He said while 512 parks out of 1,023 were available for marriages and other functions in 1996, at present 746 parks were being let out. He said using the parks for other purposes violated the Master Plan for Delhi.

The Bench said that 10 years was a sufficient time to gradually end such use of parks and green areas without causing inconvenience to the people. The Bench said the contention of the authorities that people wanted the parks for use for marriages was no answer to increase the number of parks for such use without even obtaining orders from the court.

It directed the MCD and the DDA to file affidavits in two weeks giving details of steps taken to implement the orders of the Court and also the steps, including construction of community centres, being contemplated by them to reduce the burden on the parks in the Capital.

The Bench asked the DDA to state its views on whether use of parks and green areas could be allowed for holding such functions and adjourned the matter for four weeks.

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