Hoardings on NH-21: Residents accuse Mohali administration of ‘pick and choose’

On September 3, Mohali sub-divisional magistrate Jagdeep Sehgal had issued notices to private building owners, asking them to remove illegal advertisement hoardings on National Highway-21 within seven days or face action.

As the Mohali administration continued with its drive to remove illegal hoardings from National Highway-21 (on the stretch between Balongi barrier and VR Punjab mall) on Friday, residents accused it of adopting ‘pick and choose’ policy, claiming that there exist several illegal hoarding in Zirakpur, Dera Bassi, Lalru and other parts of Kharar.

In the past two days, around 30 hoardings have been taken down. (HT FILE)

On September 3, Mohali sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Jagdeep Sehgal had issued notices to private building owners, asking them to remove illegal advertisement hoardings on National Highway-21 within seven days or face action. Some of the owners removed on their own, but most of them didn’t comply with the orders. In the past two days, around 30 hoardings have been taken down.

Ajit Singh, president, Shivalik Welfare Society, Kharar, said, “We welcome the move of the administration to remove hoardings from the NH-21 as per the directions of the Punjab and Haryana high court, but at the same time, the enforcement team in its two-day drive left few hoardings on the highway intentionally.”

Former general secretary of Confederation of Residents’ Welfare Association, Zirakpur North, Manoj Sharma, said, “Our area is full of illegal hoardings, but the authorities concerned are not taking any action and simply following pick and choose policy to appease a few people.”

The Punjab and Haryana high court had in 1995 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”.

Mohali deputy commissioner Girish Dayalan said, “We will not spare anybody who has installed hoardings in violation of the high court orders in the district .We would soon be holding drives in other subdivisions of Mohali. In case any person has any grievance for a hoarding on NH-21, he/she should lodge a complaint with us.”