Mumbai Locals Annoyed by Asia’s Wedding of the Year

Asia’s richest man is throwing a massive wedding for his youngest son in Mumbai this weekend.

Anant Ambani, son of Mukesh Ambani, is set to wed Radhika Merchant in a lavish affair. The event is expected to host an array of Bollywood celebrities, business leaders, and politicians. However, not everyone is thrilled about the grand occasion.

Earlier this month, local traffic police posted a social media notice announcing road closures and diversions from Friday through Monday. The document, posted on X, noted that a large number of guests and VIPs would be in attendance, adding that the measures were being taken “in order to avoid inconvenience” for guests.

The notice and its wording, which also referred to the wedding as a “public event,” angered some locals. Frustrated residents voiced their discontent on X, arguing that Mumbai residents should not be inconvenienced for a billionaire’s extravagant party.

Mumbai, recognized as India’s financial capital, is home to the Bandra Kurla Complex, a major business district where the wedding is taking place. The city is also densely populated, making traffic congestion a significant issue for its residents.

Sonam Srivastava, CEO of Wright Research, whose office is adjacent to the Jio World Convention Centre where the wedding is being held, expressed her concerns to Business Insider. She noted that the venue has experienced “significant disruptions” due to traffic blockages.

Srivastava added, “This situation has forced us to reschedule critical client meetings and events planned for these dates. It’s alarming that traffic in such a prominent business district has come to a standstill, causing significant inconvenience to businesses, for a private event.”

The Ambani family previously hosted pre-wedding parties in Jamnagar in March, attended by some of the world’s elite, including Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, and Ivanka Trump. India’s The Hindu newspaper reported that around 150 planes landed at the local airport during the pre-wedding event.

An airport official told The Hindu that the airport organized extra capacity for the guests by setting up a Customs, Immigration, and Quarantine (CIQ) center specifically for the occasion.

Source: Business Insider, The Hindu