Several families in the city were thrown into a tizzy after their wedding bookings at the Indira Gandhi Pratishthan (IGP) were abruptly cancelled at the last minute due to the upcoming Ground Breaking Ceremony (GBC) 5.0.
The decision, taken without prior notice, had left parents of brides and grooms frantically searching for alternative venues until chief minister Yogi Adityanath intervened on Friday and ordered the immediate reinstatement of all bookings.
Among those affected was 58-year-old Mukul Awasthi, who had booked the IGP hall early in January for his daughter’s wedding. “LDA (Lucknow Development Authority) had called us to inform us that our booking had been cancelled. It was shocking since all arrangements had been made months in advance,” said Awasthi. His family spent the next 24 hours trying to make alternative arrangements before learning that the CM had directed officials to reinstate all cancelled bookings.
Another parent, Vijay Kumar Dixit (52), who had booked the venue in February, said he came to know about the cancellation only through media reports. “No one from IGP called to inform us. After my accident earlier this year, this wedding is a big emotional moment for my family. Government departments should realise how much effort and money go into planning a wedding. A sudden call shouldn’t be allowed to destroy families’ months of preparation,” Dixit said.
In a letter dated November 3, Invest UP requested LDA to reserve IGP for the GBC scheduled between November 21 and 30. Acting on this, LDA had cancelled all 41 wedding and event bookings for those dates, causing widespread panic among families.
Taking immediate cognisance of the public concern, Adityanath instructed LDA and Invest UP officials to resolve the matter swiftly in the public interest. LDA vice-chairperson Prathamesh Kumar confirmed that all cancelled bookings had now been restored.
“Families who had voluntarily cancelled their bookings will be given the option to rebook the same venue on the original dates without any extra charges. LDA has already begun contacting the families,” Kumar said.
Officials added that Invest UP has withdrawn its request to use IGP for the event, ensuring that wedding ceremonies scheduled for the last week of November can proceed as planned. The decision has brought major relief not only to families but also to small traders and vendors involved in event-related services.