DDA hikes fee for booking grounds for Ramlila, Durga Puja; organisers cry foul

Organisers of Ramlila and Durga Puja festivities have opposed an increase in the booking amount, as well as the imposition of an additional security deposit of ₹10 lakh, by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) for booking DDA-owned open spaces in the city for the upcoming festival season

Organisers of Ramlila and Durga Puja festivities have opposed an increase in the booking amount, as well as the imposition of an additional security deposit of ₹10 lakh, by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) for booking DDA-owned open spaces in the city for the upcoming festival season.

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Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders have written to lieutenant-governor VK Saxena, who is also the chairman of DDA, to intervene in the matter and reduce the security deposit as this year would be the first time in two years that celebrations are held on a grand scale.

Organisers said until 2019 -- the last year when festivities were held on a large scale before the pandemic outbreak in March 2020 -- they did not have to pay any security deposit and the booking amount too was lesser. Organisers said the DDA has doubled the booking amount this year, besides seeking a (refundable) security deposit of ₹10 lakh, and added that most committees did not have the funds to pay so much.

Mrinal Biswas, general secretary, Purbanchal Bangiyo Samiti (an association of 38 puja samitis in east Delhi) and Milani Cultural & Welfare Association, said, “The DDA wants us to pay ₹10 lakh as security deposit in addition to the booking amount. How will puja samitis pay close to ₹16-17 lakh? We collect funds from people to organise the festivities.”

The association is planning to write to the L-G and DDA seeking to do away with the security deposit.

When contacted, DDA officials did not comment on the matter.

Former BJP MLA Mahinder Nagpal and president of Ashok Vihar Ramlila Committee said he has taken up the matter with the DDA. “It is difficult for committees to pay such a huge amount. We have asked DDA to look at the policy again.”

According to DDA’s policy for booking of open spaces for functions, cooking and washing of dishes is not allowed on the premises. The organisers also have to give ₹10 lakh as the refundable security deposit, to ensure that they do not violate the Delhi Pollution Control Committee’s directions of 2019.

This is in addition to the amount payable for the booking of open spaces and will be refunded if there is no violation of DPCC norms, a note issued by DDA on July 25, 2022, said.

In December 2019, the DPCC directed all landowning agencies to ensure environmental management for open grounds holding social, cultural, commercial and wedding functions.

Organisers said booking the grounds for the festival season has to be done in advance. Rajeev Solanki, president of the Dwarka Ramlila Society (Sector 10), said, “Earlier, we used to pay about ₹4 lakh for booking the ground. The DDA has doubled that amount this time. We had no option so we paid the amount.”

Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor has written to L-G requesting him to intervene in the matter. “The DDA has raised the security citing a new order of NGT which is highly impractical. Traditionally, food stalls in Ramlila mela are an integral part of the celebrations; hence, a ban on cooking is most impractical. If DDA finds that the installation of effluent plants is mandatory, then it should do so. Ramlila committees book the ground for a period of 11 days. How does the DDA expect them to install effluent plants worth lakhs for such a short period?” said Kapoor.