Police to take action against pre-wedding photoshoots in public places that cause traffic problems and public nuisance

By Bapu Lingaraj Urs

Mysuru city and its picturesque surroundings, featuring stunning landmarks, have become the top choice for couples seeking captivating backdrops for their pre-wedding shoots and even baby-bump shoots — photoshoot when one  is pregnant.

However, the popularity of these shoots has led to major traffic disruptions especially around the Mysore Palace area and now the Police are planning to be more stringent against photoshoots.

Many of these photoshoots are done during the early hours of the morning as the lighting is good but it also the time when people are going to work, leading to traffic issues.

Some popular locations in Mysuru for these shoots include Chamaraja Wadiyar Circle with a backdrop of the Mysore Palace, Silver Jubilee Clock Tower (Dodda Gadiyara) for long shots, Dr. Rajkumar Park, Dr. Vishnuvardhan Park and Town Hall, Mysore Palace junction (Ashoka Road and Sri Harsha Road).

Despite concerns raised in the past about the inconvenience caused to commuters and the safety issues associated with the shoots, the trend persists. The City Police had taken action against those involved in such photoshoots by booking criminal cases, but the activity seems to have resurged.

Some of the photoshoot crews even use drones to capture images, raising questions about whether they have obtained the necessary permission from the competent authorities for drone flying.

“These photoshoots at busy circles and roads have come to my notice. We will initiate action as often, such shoots disturb the peace in the areas and disrupt traffic,” said Ramesh Banoth, Mysuru City Police Commissioner.

Scaring pigeons away

One particularly popular location for these shoots is the area in front of the Mysore Palace, where thousands of pigeons gather daily to feed on food provided by voluntary organisations.

Unfortunately, the crew members often scare away the birds en masse to capture shots with the couples when the birds are flying, which can disturb the natural atmosphere of the place.

Though entry is restricted inside the enclosure where the pigeons are fed, the shooting crew and the couples slide the barricades to enter the area for image and video frames, scaring the pigeons in the process.

Mysore Palace is a no-drone area

The Mysuru Palace Board has issued an order to restrict the use of drone cameras both inside and outside the Mysore Palace, as stated by Deputy Director of Palace Board T.S. Subramanya.  The Palace area and the courtyard around it have been declared a ‘Yellow Zone’, and in this context, the use of drone cameras in the Palace is restricted, the statement said. Prior permission to use a drone camera in this area is necessary. Appropriate action will be taken if permission to use the drone camera is not obtained. 

According to the drone airspace map — an interactive map of India that demarcates the Yellow and Red zones across the country — Yellow Zone is the airspace above 200 feet in the area located between 8-12 km from the perimeter of an operational airport.

Drone operations in the ‘Yellow Zone’ require permission from the jurisdictional Air Traffic Control authority. A ‘Red Zone’ is a no-drone zone within which drones can be operated only after permission from the Central Government. No permission is needed for drones flying in the ‘Green Zone.’