AMC to Drop Invitation Card Requirement for Wedding Hall Booking

Ahmedabad: The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) is planning to simplify the process of booking its halls for weddings and introduce a new policy for decoration arrangements at its halls and party plots, Standing Committee Chairman Kamleshbhai Patel said on Thursday.

Under the proposed changes, citizens booking an AMC hall for a wedding will not need to submit a wedding invitation card. The hall will be booked on the basis of the Aadhaar cards of the bride and groom and their parents.

The decision was discussed at the weekly meeting of the AMC Standing Committee on August 20, where various civic development issues and municipal matters were taken up.

New decoration policy under consideration

Patel said the AMC is also considering a new policy for decoration arrangements at its halls and party plots. The civic body had discontinued its earlier decoration contract system in 2018.

Under the previous arrangement, private decoration contractors were responsible for decoration as well as expenses related to maintenance, security, electricity and other hall-related services. The system generated around Rs 10 crore in annual revenue for the AMC, according to the chairman.

At present, the corporation spends around Rs 40 crore annually on various activities at its halls and party plots, including security, lighting, engineering and cleaning.

The AMC is now considering bringing back a similar arrangement with modifications. Three types of decoration packages are proposed, and the civic body has sought preliminary information from contractors regarding the proposed services.

AMC plans scheduled street light replacement

The Standing Committee also discussed a planned replacement system for Ahmedabad’s street lights.

The city currently has around 2.10 lakh street lights, many of which reportedly become dim or turn yellow over time. At present, such lights are generally replaced after complaints are received.

Patel said the AMC has directed officials to compile details of street-light poles, including their installation dates and expected lifespan.

Based on this data, the civic body plans to replace street lights in phases according to a maintenance schedule instead of waiting for complaints. The possibility of introducing an auto-mode system was also discussed, under which lights could be replaced proactively before their performance deteriorates.

The proposed measures are aimed at making civic services more systematic while reducing inconvenience for citizens and improving maintenance of the city’s public infrastructure. DeshGujarat