NEW DELHI: With the Municipal Corporation of Delhi giving a three-day ultimatum to 229 banquet hall owners in the Capital to down their shutters in the wake of the recent Delhi High Court order, citizens here who have booked these marriage halls for holding receptions are in a fix as they have no idea where to get vacant spaces to hold marriage ceremonies.

The civic body has asked the deputy commissioners of all its 12 civic zones to take stern action against all such banquet hall owners who fail to comply with the orders. The maximum number of banquet halls were found to be illegally operating in the West zone (56) followed Shahdara-North (53), Shahdara-South (37), Civil Lines (23), Rohini (21), Karol Bagh (14), Central (11), Najafgarh (8), South (5) and City (1). However, no banquet halls were found operating in Sadar Paharganj and Narela zones.

Some of the famous banquet halls that have been served notices include Richi Rich, All Heaven (Wazirpur), Alfa Garden (Karol Bagh), Mehfil and Royal Court (Lajpat Nagar), Gulmohar (Rohini), Saubhagya (Preet Vihar), Aryan Golden (Uttam Nagar), Harnam Palace (Wazirabad), Green Valley (Hastsal) and Raj Vatika (Karol Bagh).

Stating that there was no provision for banquet halls in the Master Plan 2001, a senior MCD official said all these banquet halls have come up over the years by violating building bylaws and in connivance with local officials and police. Though the Master Plan 2021 includes provision of allowing marriage halls in residential areas, but till the time it happens, all banquet halls would remain shut.

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