1,124 establishments found non-compliant in Marathi signboard drive

The drive, launched on May 14 following directions from deputy mayor Sanjay Ghadi, saw officials inspect 35,428 shops and establishments across Mumbai

MUMBAI: The first phase of the BMC drive to enforce Marathi signboards across the city concluded on Saturday. Data accessed by HT showed that 1,124 establishments were found to be non-compliant.

Mumbai, India - Jan. 1, 2025: Bazar Road at Bandra in Mumbai, India, on Wednesday, January 1, 2025. (Photo by Satish Bate/ Hindustan Times) (Hindustan Times)

The drive, launched on May 14 following directions from deputy mayor Sanjay Ghadi, saw officials inspect 35,428 shops and establishments across Mumbai. It forms part of the BMC’s effort to ensure that Marathi (Devanagari script) appears first and in a larger font than other languages on commercial signboards. Ghadi had earlier warned of “Shiv Sena-like action” against establishments that failed to comply within the stipulated deadline.

Diksha Karkar, chairperson of the BMC’s Law, Revenue and General Purpose Committee, said that the second phase of the drive would be announced shortly but only after key administrative shortcomings exposed during the first round were addressed. “I have sought a meeting with the municipal commissioner to discuss and resolve these before moving ahead,” she told HT.

Among the concerns flagged is a severe shortage of manpower. Of the department’s 127 sanctioned inspector posts, only 54 are currently filled. Karkare has also questioned the veracity of the civic body’s database of registered shops and establishments, which the BMC’s online system shows as 10,83,251. “If an owner finds an error in a certificate or acknowledgement receipt, a fresh registration can be generated without cancelling the previous one. This results in duplicate and multiple entries in the database,” she said.

Describing these as ‘teething’ issues that need urgent attention, Karkare said the effectiveness of future enforcement drives would remain limited unless the systemic problems were resolved. “But despite the constraints, the department has done commendable work,” she said.

Karkare said the next phase would focus on industries, shopping malls, hotels and high-end restaurants. She also plans to push for stronger enforcement provisions, including empowering the Shops and Establishments Department to seek criminal action against violators. “A stronger deterrent will send a stronger message, and other violators will fall in line and will fix things on their own ,” she said. Violations attract penalties under the Maharashtra Shops and Establishments Act, 2017, with fines of ₹2,000 per employee, subject to a maximum penalty of ₹1 lakh.