Deadly billboards: VVCMC says out of 30k hoardings in Vasai-Virar region, only 335 are legal

A survey conducted by the Vasai-Virar City Municipal Corporation in Mumbai found that out of 30,000 hoardings in the region, only 335 were legally erected. These illegal hoardings have caused accidents and obstructed drivers' view. The municipal corporation will take action to remove them.

Mumbai: After reports of several fatal accidents and complaints of huge banners and hoardings obstructing the view while driving, the Vasai-Virar City Municipal Corporation (VVCMC) conducted a survey to pull them down and found that out of 30,000 hoardings in the region, only 335 were legally erected.

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The traffic police officials said these hoardings, mostly advertisements and promotions, have caused several accidents as they block signals and cause distraction while driving. The traffic police had written a letter to the VVCMC last week to remove the hoardings which are creating a problem for the driver to see the signal or the vehicle coming from the opposite direction which poses a threat to their lives.

“We had received several complaints from drivers against hoardings obstructing their view. We then conducted a survey and found that at several places, these banners were put up without opting for NOC from our department,” said a traffic police officer.

In order to illegally erect a banner, a person must seek permission from VVCMC and obtain a no objection certificate (NOC) from the traffic department.

Civic body employees said that in 2009 when the municipal corporation was formed, there was no department for giving permission to hoardings, however, in the past two years the department in charge of hoardings in the region was set and permission was given to 335 persons to erect them. In 2023, the VVCMC had started a drive to pull down illegal hoardings which stopped in the rainy season.

Sangratna Khillare, deputy municipal commissioner said that they would begin the drive again and pull down all the illegal hoardings, “We will take strict action against the people putting up illegal hoardings,” said Khillare.