As wedding bells ring louder across Delhi, so do the car horns stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic. The city is bracing for a season of grand ‘band, baaja, baraat’ — and the chaos that comes with it. With 4.5 lakh weddings set to take place over the next three weeks, expect roadways to transform into impromptu dance floors and parking spaces to become rarer than the bride’s dress.

To manage the surge in traffic, the Delhi Police have deployed between 1,500 to 2,000 traffic personnel to streamline vehicular movement across the city.

The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) revealed that the first phase of the season, spanning 18 days, began on Tuesday and will extend until December 16. Around 50,000 weddings were slated for the opening day alone. In response to the influx, wedding bands and banquet halls have reported a significant rise in bookings. Jakir Khan, owner of Rajdhani Band, shared that his team has received between 75 and 80 bookings for November, with new requests coming in daily. Similarly, Karishma of Jea Band Group reported 80 bookings, including 14 just for the season’s launch day, and noted a growing trend in destination weddings.

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Senior police officials highlighted their strategy for mitigating traffic disruptions, emphasizing the importance of parking arrangements and curbing drunk driving. “Venues without on-site parking are advised to provide valet services, and we’re coordinating with banquet hall owners to ensure this,” one officer noted. Additionally, patrolling bikes have been stationed throughout the city to help maintain the traffic flow and manage ‘baraats’ that often cause delays on main roads.

Wedding planners are also feeling the pressure of the season. Mohammad Rihaan of White and Green Wedding Planners has lined up 50 contracts for November, while Harindra Tomar reported 25 confirmed bookings and expects more as the season advances. According to Praveen Khandelwal, Secretary General of CAIT, the wedding season’s start coinciding with Dev Uthani Ekadashi could drive economic activity upwards of Rs 6 lakh crore.