Mandir Bagh residents decry lack of marriage hall

Srinagar, Sep 29: The absence of a marriage hall at Mandir Bagh locality is taking a toll on the residents here.

The fact that the two neighbouring localities including Maisuma and Basant Bagh have two marriage halls while there is none at Mandir Bagh “is making us feel neglected by the successive regimes,”  the residents lamented.

“As if we have no children to marry or the people living here will never die,” said 69-year-old Mohammad Shafi, adding “these halls are used both for marriage functions as well as funeral receptions but unfortunately, we have to peg a tent on the road for all these purposes.”

The absence of community hall is affecting over 200 families in the area, who say they have to ask for favours from one or two neighbours who have huge lawns and broad space in their homes.

“But we can’t bother them everytime, how many favours shall we ask from them,” said 56-year-old Rafiq Ahmad, who is preparing for his daughter’s wedding scheduled for later this year.

It is not that the area doesn’t have suitable space to construct a marriage hall, there are over a couple of private-owned lands empty here, the government can purchase that land and build it there. “Or they can simply construct one from the Bund side,” the locals said.

The dearth of a marriage hall often results in people who have functions blocking the main road or the Bund which connects Barbar Shah with Gawkadal. “Nobody can blame us, we have nowhere to go,” the residents asserted loudly.