Vice-chairman, DDA Sh. Balvinder Kumar, in pursuance of complaints regarding manipulation of bookings by ‘tent wallas’ despite on-line system of booking, had constituted a Committee to review the policy and ensure sufficient checks and balances with the twin objective of bookings not manipulated by tentwalas to their advantage and at the same time spaces are available in sufficient numbers to middle and lower income groups. The Committee submitted its report and a revised policy has been formulated.
As per this new policy, all the spaces have been categorized and different modes of allotment have been proposed to be adopted by segregating spaces area-wise and location-wise. This has been done to facilitate more availability of spaces within the affordable reach of the general masses. There will be basic four categories for the 351 sites available with DDA. These are:
i) Spaces numbering 46 and considered premium spaces, having area more than 2000 sq.mtrs and most sought after as per the past record, will be auctioned and will be for higher sections of the Society who can afford to pay competitive prices for the purpose. These will be auctioned on annual basis through e-tendering at the beginning of each financial year or any period year to be decided.
ii) 19 sites have been chosen for developing Kalyan Mandapams to be given for marriage purposes. It may be mentioned that earlier only 9 sites had been marked for Kalyan Mandapam in each Zone of Delhi but now the number has been increased to 19 sites. These Mandapams will be developed by DDA soon.
iii) 34 sites will be provided with steel trusses so that anybody hiring these spaces can put up a tent of his/ her choice within minimum possible time. This will reduce the time required for dismantling and decoration etc., as per the affordability and choice of the person concerned.
iv) The fourth category will be the 262 open spaces wherein one can use the same as per one’s requirement, decoration etc.
Thus only 46 sites will be auctioned and 315 sites which are about 85% of the sites can be used by middle class or lower middle class people. These sites will have the advantage of Kalyan Mandapams or steel trusses.
a) Allotment will be done to only the blood relations i.e., parents, brother, sister etc., of the prospective bride/ bridegroom and for this necessary documents will have to be shown.
b) The details of bride and prospective groom will also have to be provided at the time of booking itself which will be cross-checked with the actual wedding through surprise checks at the time of marriage or at the time of the refund of security deposit.
c) The amount towards booking will have to be deposited by either the parents of the prospective bridegroom or groom or brother/ sister etc i.e. the first level of blood relations.
d) The Credit Cards / Debit Cards which will be used for payment, will be cross-checked from their account.
e) An inspection, on the day of marriage, will be done by the concerned Junior Engineer to ensure that the site is being used only by the person who has booked the marriage venue and also for the purpose for which it has been booked.
f) Flying squad of the Vigilance Department will be constituted for surprise checks on such venues.
The payment structure, fee charges to be paid by allottees for different categories of sites is being decided separately.
It is hoped that, with this policy the tent walas will not be able to retain the ground on continued basis as is being done at present.
