60 of 62 hoardings on MHADA land in Mumbai illegal, says Somaiya; files police complaint

60 of 62 hoardings on MHADA land in Mumbai illegal, says Somaiya; files police complaint

Mumbai, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Kirit Somaiya on Monday filed a police complaint alleging 60 out of 62 hoardings installed on the land owned by state-run housing agency MHADA in Mumbai were illegal, and sought action against officials concerned and advertising firms. The complaint, filed at the Kherwadi police station in the metropolis, comes days after 17 people were killed when a giant hoarding collapsed on a petrol pump in suburban Ghatkopar's Chheda Nagar locality during gusty winds and unseasonal rains on May 13. An official at the Kherwadi police station in Bandra confirmed receiving a written complaint from the former Lok Sabha MP about "unauthorized" billboards on the land owned by the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority , and said they were conducting a probe. Somaiya demanded action against officials of MHADA, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and 17 advertising companies which have put up these hoardings, alleging violation of norms by them, said the official. In his complaint, the BJP leader sought to know how these "illegal" hoardings were allowed to be installed on the MHADA land. Only two hoardings, out of 62 erected on the MHADA land in Mumbai, had No Objection Certificate from authorities, he claimed. Who is collecting the licence fees for these illegal hoardings? Somaiya asked. MHADA officials involved in the installation of such hoardings should face action. An FIR should be registered against relevant BMC, MHADA officials and hoarding companies, according to the complaint. The Mumbai civic body charges a licence fee for installation of advertising hoardings in the financial capital. Advertising companies who have put up "unauthorized" billboards on the MHADA land should be blacklisted by the BMC's licensing department, the BJP leader demanded. An official from the BMC's licencing department said, "We have received a letter from the MHADA. We will send a letter to the MHADA and ask them to remove such hoardings."

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