Cuttack, April 16: Authorities have geared up to stop functioning of kalyan mandaps (marriage venues), which are operating without licence from the civic body.

"A process has been initiated to impose restriction on baraat processions from or to the kalyan mandaps, which have not yet applied for the required licence," municipal commissioner Gyana Das told The Telegraph.

"The office of the deputy commissioner of police, which issues the no-objection certificate, has been asked to ensure that no permission is granted for baraat processions from these venues," Das said. The city has 180 marriage halls. Of them, 104 have not yet applied for licence despite repeated public notices. On March 16, Orissa High Court issued orders for closure of the 104 marriage halls.

"We have stopped issuing no-objection certificates to baraat processions to or from the kalyan mandaps, according to the list received from the Cuttack Municipal Corporation," deputy commissioner of police, Cuttack, Sanjiv Arora told The Telegraph.

"These marriage halls are creating traffic chaos by increasing congestion on roads in various parts of the city," said social activist Chittaranjan Mohanty.

"The approach roads to these venues, mostly used for marriage celebrations and social events, are also not suitable for parking," Mohanty went on to add.

The court has been adjudicating on a public interest litigation seeking intervention against functioning of marriage halls without parking area and proper mode of solid waste disposal.

Initially, the court had sought a detailed report from the civic body on the number of kalyan mandaps, which had no parking areas, garbage disposal mode and were functioning without the required licence. The corporation had submitted before the court a report indicating that only 76 of the 180 kalyan mandaps identified in the city had applied for licence in response to the public notice.

Taking note of it, the high court, in its March 16 order, said: "Both the corporation as well as police authorities shall take immediate steps for closure of such kalyan mandaps and banquet halls, which have not made any application for issue of licence."

The popular kalyan mandaps among the 104 that had not applied for licence include Barabati Guest House or Mini Barabati, Barabati Palace, OCA Club, Tendulkar Bhavan, Horse Gate, Club House (all inside the Barabati Stadium).

The municipal commissioner said: "As part of the implementation of the court order, the applications for licence by the 76 owners will be assessed on the basis of the criteria fixed by the committee made for the purpose."

The panel includes representative of the civic body, development authority, DCP (Cuttack) and the amicus curiae appointed by the court.