The arrival of the winter wedding season in Haryana was felt more on the roads than in the marriage palaces today. As thousands of couples tied the knot on the sacred day of Dev Uthani Ekadashi, the state’s transport network struggled to keep pace with the massive movement of guests and ceremonial processions.
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Highways Turned Parking Lots: The NH-48 (Delhi-Jaipur Highway) and the Delhi-Chandigarh Highway (NH-44) saw bumper-to-bumper traffic starting from 6:00 PM. In Karnal, the presence of over 100 weddings in the city limits led to a complete standstill near the main market and banquet clusters.
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The Gurugram Squeeze: In the Millennium City, the Golf Course Extension Road and Sohna Road—home to numerous wedding venues—became nearly impassable. Traffic police struggled to manage illegal parking and the traditional Baaraat dances that frequently spilled onto the main carriage-ways.
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Logistical Overload: The rush wasn’t just on the roads. Caterers, decorators, and florists reported being stretched to their limits. “We had to hire extra staff from neighboring states because every single one of our 15 managed venues was booked today,” said an event manager in Rohtak.
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Police Intervention: To manage the chaos, the Haryana Traffic Police cancelled leaves for personnel in urban districts. Towing cranes were active throughout the night to remove vehicles obstructing emergency lanes. Authorities had previously issued advisories to avoid major banquet hubs, but the volume of commuters rendered the warnings ineffective.
Community Sentiment
“It took me four hours to get from Delhi to Gurugram—a distance I usually cover in 45 minutes. There were at least five wedding processions on the service lane alone. It’s beautiful for the couples, but a nightmare for anyone trying to get home from work,” said a frustrated commuter at the Sirhaul border.
