Ludhiana: PAC moves NHAI over ‘illegal’ hoarding along elevated highway

Public Action Committee files complaint against NHAI project director over the installation of commercial hoardings along the city’s elevated highway corridor. Seeks removal of ads, alleges commercial ads violate SOP for corridor beautification.

Alleging blatant violation of regulatory norms, the Public Action Committee (PAC) has lodged a complaint against the project director of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Ludhiana, over the installation of commercial hoardings along the city’s elevated highway corridor.

Priyanka Meena, Project Director of NHAI in Ludhiana, said she had recently inspected the site and directed officials to remove the illegal advertisements. (HT Photo)

The complaint was submitted by PAC core committee members Kuldeep Singh Khaira, Kapil Arora, Jaskirat Singh and Gurpreet Singh, to senior NHAI officials alleging that large commercial advertisements have been mounted on and around the elevated highway structures in contravention of the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) issued by NHAI for the beautification of the elevated corridor in Ludhiana.

Citing Clause 2.5 of the SOP, the committee members said the guidelines clearly permit only the agency’s logo on aluminium composite panel (ACP) panels installed adjacent to the bridge piers as per the approved design layout. “The SOP explicitly states that no other form of advertisement at any other location shall be allowed,” the members said in the complaint.

Despite these restrictions, the committee alleged that commercial hoardings have been erected at multiple locations along the corridor, raising concerns about regulatory oversight and possible misuse of public infrastructure. They pointed out that the areas surrounding elevated highway structures and green verges are earmarked for landscaping, plantation and road safety features, and not for commercial advertising.

Demanding immediate intervention, the residents’ body has sought the removal of all such hoardings and a probe into the permissions allegedly granted for their installation. The committee also called for accountability, urging authorities to fix responsibility on officials who permitted the alleged violations of NHAI norms.

The members warned that if the authorities fail to act on the complaint, the committee would approach the National Green Tribunal.

Priyanka Meena, Project Director of NHAI in Ludhiana, said she had recently inspected the site and directed officials to remove the illegal advertisements. “Instructions have already been issued to remove such hoardings and the remaining ones will also be taken down,” she said.