Bhubaneswar, June 9: The civic body has come up with a novel measure to make applying for marriage certificates easier.

The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation has decided to decentralise the process of issuing the certificates to newly-weds, making it easier to register their marriage. The new policy allows residents to apply for and avail of the certificates from the civic body's three zonal offices instead of only its headquarters.

Couples can download a form from www.bmc.gov.in, attach necessary documents and approach the respective zonal office for the certificate. Earlier, marriage certificates were issued only at the civic body's headquarters at Goutam Nagar.

"The headquarters teem with newly-wed couples and their relatives in the post-wedding season. As the registration process takes time, the applicants have to wait for hours. This move will save time and lessen the burden on the headquarters," said deputy commissioner of establishment, Chitrasen Rout.

The divisional zonal commissioners of respective zones will remain responsible for issuing certificates with prevailing terms and conditions. The civic body has divided the 67 wards into three parts under the zonal commissioners. Two commissioners will handle 21 wards each, while the third will look after the process in the remaining 25 wards.

However, the civic body has kept the time and days of verification unchanged. Marriage registration and verification is done twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The timings on Wednesdays are between 3pm and 5pm, while the registration time on Saturdays is 12pm to 2pm. The fee will be Rs 17 if applied within a month of the wedding and Rs 42 beyond the stipulated time.

"Decentralise the process will really help. I remember I had to wait for a long time and visited the headquarters six to seven times to get the final certificates. It will become even easier if the registration and verification process is done on every working day," said Sailashree Vihar resident Narayan Ojha, who obtained his marriage certificate this February.

At present, the civic body issues certificates to about 120 newly-weds every month on an average. "Marriage registration for applicants from faraway locations other than areas near Goutam Nagar and Kalpana adjacent to the corporation's headquarters will be easier and less time consuming after the decentralisation. This decision will save a lot of time," said mayor Ananta Narayan Jena.