NMMC asks shops to install name boards in Marathi

The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation has issued a notice requiring commercial establishments to comply with a Supreme Court order to have signboards written in Marathi Devanagri script. The two-month deadline set by the court is about to expire, causing confusion among traders. Failure to comply with the rule may result in penalties of up to INR 1 lakh.

Navi Mumbai

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The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) on Friday issued a notice informing commercial establishments to comply with the Supreme Court (SC) order of having signboards written in Marathi Devanagri script. The notice comes just one day before the two month deadline set by the court ceases and has stirred up a lot of confusion amongst traders.

“Since there is a Supreme Court order we are required to comply. However if there would have been some awareness before itself by the authorities concerned this could have been done more smoothly. We have already informed the shop owners about the guidelines and are asking to get the changes done,” said the Navi Mumbai Vyapaari Mahasangh President, Pramod Joshi. The Mahasangh comprises 22,000 retail shop owners.

Meanwhile, it is learnt that a group of shop owners from Rabale visited the local police station to seek some more time to implement the changes.

“NMMC should have conducted this awareness programme much earlier. The announcement pertaining to the court order was made hurriedly through speakers fixed on autos,” said Maharashtra Navnirman Sena Vice President, Nilesh Bhankele.

The Supreme Court while hearing a petition by a federation of retail traders of Mumbai on September 1 had given two months’ time for shopkeepers to change the boards to Marathi. As per the rule, the name board of every establishment should be displayed in Marathi language in Devanagri script and the font size of Marathi should not be less than of the names displayed in any other language.

Under Section 29 of the Maharashtra Shops and Establishments (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act 2017, the failure to comply with this rule will attract penalties with fine up to ₹1 lakh.

“There is a provision for a fine of ₹2,000 per day as well. While NMMC has actually no powers to levy the fines as the Shop Act comes under state control, but if need be to ensure there is no contempt of court, the municipal commissioner could initiate action,” said an official.

On Friday, the ward offices conducted awareness activity by making public announcements. “Ward offices have been duly instructed to get every commercial establishment in their area to comply with the order. A squad will be formed to monitor the process and take appropriate action as deemed as per the Maharashtra Shops and Establishments (Regulation of Employment and conditions of Service) (Amendement) Act 2022,” said the Deputy Municipal Commissioner (DMC) License, Sharad Pawar.