BMC launches fast-track online marriage registration, weekend appointments

Mumbai, Sep 26 (PTI) The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Friday said that it has launched a fast-tracked online registration process for marriages, and a facility for weekend appointments.

The BMC claimed it was the first civic body in the country to introduce the initiative, which allows citizens to apply online for marriage registration appointments on weekends and to expedite registrations during weekdays.

The facility has been operational since September 21.

The civic body, in a release, said that marriage certificates will come with a QR code, and in future, they will be integrated with DigiLocker for easier access.

Couples can register their marriage with the BMC even if they have tied the knot outside Maharashtra or anywhere in the world, provided one of them resides within the civic body's jurisdiction, it said.

The scope has also been expanded to cover all religions, as earlier, marriages of only Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, Sikhs and Jains could be registered, the release stated.

For Sikh couples, registration under the Anand Marriage Act, 1909, has also been enabled online, it said.

Applicants can submit forms through the BMC website, pay fees digitally, and receive certificates directly by email after verification, the release said.

Fast-track services are available on weekdays with 20 per cent of slots reserved, while weekend services are divided among ward offices, and an additional fee of Rs 2,500 is applicable for these special services.

BMC Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani said that the move was aimed at making the registration process faster, modern and user-friendly. PTI KK ARU