The Mohali sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) issued notices to private building owners on Saturday, asking them to remove illegal advertisement hoardings at National Highway-21 (from Balongi barrier to VR Punjab mall) within seven days or face action.
SDM Jagdeep Sehgal has said if not removed by the deadline the hoardings will be taken down by the authorities concerned and action taken against vendors.
The Punjab and Haryana high court in 1995 had issued directions to all deputy commissioners to remove hoardings on national as well as state highways as these were not just eyesores but a traffic hazard which could divert motorists’ attention.
Despite several directions from the court later too, no action was taken by the authorities concerned.
A large number of display boards can still be seen on national highway-21 in Kharar area. In March this year, MC was forced to cancel a drive to remove them on the intervention of director local bodies, Punjab, following which the Covid-19 lockdown was announced.
Every year, the Kharar municipal council allots tenders for 40 ‘legal’ sites in the city and this year too a tender was allotted at the cost of ₹3.25 crore per hoarding for nine years.
{{/usCountry}}Every year, the Kharar municipal council allots tenders for 40 ‘legal’ sites in the city and this year too a tender was allotted at the cost of ₹3.25 crore per hoarding for nine years.
{{/usCountry}}Due to the illegal sites, however, the civic body is facing losses of around ₹1 crore every year.
Harpreet Singh, member, district road safety committee in Mohali, called for the removal of hoardings as these could lead to accidents.