NAGPUR: Covid times have seen a spike in court registered marriages. If marriage functions may be a cause for spreading infections these days, there has also been a sudden increase in the no-frills registered marriages. The crowds gathering at the registrar’s office face a similar risk.
Couples prefer registered marriage either to save money or if there is opposition from the families.
The office of marriage registrar in the collectorate is the only place in the district where couples can tie the knot officially.
The number of registered marriages had gone up in 2020 itself. As against 2,389 registered marriages in 2019, over 2,500 weddings were registered there in 2020.
There has been sharp increase in 2021, however. In the first two months, 650 marriages have been registered in the district. With February yet to end, the numbers are expected to cross 700 easily.
Each day, more than 30 couples turn up for getting their marriage registered, said sources. The score so far is 26% of the total marriages registered in 2020.
Sources in the registrar’s office and those waiting there said the increase is due to Covid. Families are avoiding get-together and want to save money also.
If marriage functions are being turning out to be virus spreading grounds, even the area near the registration office appears to have similar potential.
The barely 20-metre lane where couples wait for their turn is clogged with people. With or without mask, people are seen jostling against each other. Distancing is a far cry. There is little space inside the office, where registration is done too.
Not more than five persons are required for marriage registration. These include the couple and three witnesses. However, families come in large groups increasing the crowds, said sources. Even property documents are registered at the same office, which further adds to the crowd.
Couples waiting there complained of the process taking too long. This increases their risk of getting infected due to the crowd, they said.
“We are here since 10 in the morning and still waiting for our turn at 2pm,” said Mithilesh Ramteke, who had come for a relative’s wedding.
“The papers have to be submitted a month before. A token with the date is handed over at that time. But despite the system, the wait is too long. We had come yesterday also, but could not get a slot,” said one the witnesses accompanying a couple.
Apart from the token system, marriages can be registered on first-come-first basis too. This also increases the crowding, said a photographer, who is there to help couples get their photos clicked.
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