46 direction boards removed after audit deems it dangerous

PUNE The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has removed 46 of 48 boards in public spaces either giving directions to commuters or stating the name(s) of the area

PUNE The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has removed 46 of 48 boards in public spaces either giving directions to commuters or stating the name(s) of the area.

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This action has come after a structural audit by the PMC commissioner Vikram Kumar, found that the 48 boards installed across the city are “dangerous” and “must immediately be removed”.

In 2020, a board collapsed at the Sancheti hospital chowk, but due to a lack of traffic because of Covid-19 restrictions, no harm was caused to the commuting public.

The anti-encroachment department has been is busy removing the boards.

Social activist Mayur Shinde said, “Last year, only 26 boards were removed and the remaining 22 should have been demolished with immediate effect. The structural audit had clearly stated that all the boards must be brought down. Various social workers and political personalities were found using these board to put up illegal hoardings. All this will stop with the removal of the remaining boards in the past few days.”

According to the PMC administration, most boards had been erected some 13 years ago at the time of the national games in Pune. Most were fixed on Jangli Maharaj road, Paud road, Baner-Balewadi, Fergusson College road, old Mumbai-Pune highway and the airport road.

Vijay Landge of the PMC’s Skysign and Licence Department said, “There were a total 48 direction boards and they all have been removed. Gas cutters were used to bring it down and the material has been kept at the ward offices and the anti-encroachment department’s godown.”