PCMC moves Bombay HC for permission to remove illegal hoardings
PCMC commissioner Shekhar Singh said that the corporation will approach the Bombay High Court to seek permission with its drive against unauthorised hoardings in Pimpri-Chinchwad
PUNE: The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has approached the Bombay High Court (HC) against its ‘status quo’ ruling dated May 5, 2022 saying that the corporation’s efforts to remove at least 434 unauthorised hoardings in the city have ground to a halt due to the said ruling. The move comes in the wake of the Kiwale tragedy on Monday wherein five persons including four women lost their lives after the hoarding under which they were standing collapsed on them.
PCMC commissioner Shekhar Singh said that the corporation will approach the Bombay High Court to seek permission with its drive against unauthorised hoardings in Pimpri-Chinchwad.
“We will bring to the kind notice of the honourable court that we have been appearing on all dates. We will request the court to further expedite the case,” Singh said.
Singh said that the PCMC has been making concerted efforts to remove unauthorised hoardings that have mushroomed across Pimpri-Chinchwad, defacing the industrial towns and posing a risk to people’s lives. Singh said that while the PCMC respects the HC order, the order has stopped the corporation from taking action against the illegal hoardings.
On September 18, 2021, the PCMC had declared that it would authorise illegal hoardings in the city under certain terms and conditions. The civic body had accordingly received applications from 434 illegal hoardings for their authorisation. After scrutiny of these applications however, the PCMC on April 11, 2022 issued notices for the removal of these illegal hoardings within a stipulated time. At that point however, the Pimpri-Chinchwad Outdoor Advertising Association approached the Bombay HC against the PCMC’s notices stating that the hoardings were installed at private places and that the owners had applied for authorisation. After the Bombay HC’s May 5, 2022 ‘status quo’ order, the civic body could not take any action against these hoardings.
According to the data shared by the PCMC, there are a total 1,407 hoardings in the city of which, 35 are located in civic-owned places, 28 in places owned by builders and 1,344 in private places. According to the same data, the PCMC has taken action against all such unauthorised hoardings in the city. From April 1, 2022 to April 13, 2023, the PCMC has removed 122 unauthorised hoardings out of which, three were removed by the civic body and 91 by the persons responsible. During the same period, the civic body collected Rs6.68 lakhs in fines.
{{/usCountry}}According to the data shared by the PCMC, there are a total 1,407 hoardings in the city of which, 35 are located in civic-owned places, 28 in places owned by builders and 1,344 in private places. According to the same data, the PCMC has taken action against all such unauthorised hoardings in the city. From April 1, 2022 to April 13, 2023, the PCMC has removed 122 unauthorised hoardings out of which, three were removed by the civic body and 91 by the persons responsible. During the same period, the civic body collected Rs6.68 lakhs in fines.
{{/usCountry}}Meanwhile, former standing committee chief, Simatai Salve, approached the municipal commissioner and demanded a detailed investigation into the hoarding collapse at Kiwale. In her letter, she stated, “There should be a thorough investigation into this mishap. There should be another survey of hoardings placed at various places in the city. In addition to that, a structural audit should be carried out. The PCMC should appoint a committee to investigate this matter within a stipulated time. The committee should submit its report to help prevent such incidents in future.”
{{/usCountry}}Meanwhile, former standing committee chief, Simatai Salve, approached the municipal commissioner and demanded a detailed investigation into the hoarding collapse at Kiwale. In her letter, she stated, “There should be a thorough investigation into this mishap. There should be another survey of hoardings placed at various places in the city. In addition to that, a structural audit should be carried out. The PCMC should appoint a committee to investigate this matter within a stipulated time. The committee should submit its report to help prevent such incidents in future.”
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