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PCMC to file FIR against owners of illegal hoardings
The PCMC from May 15, started a survey of illegal hoardings in the civic limits. The officials have completed 60 per cent of the survey and identified 12 such illegal hoardings
In light of the tragic incident of the Ghatkopar hoarding collapse in Mumbai in which 16 people died and over 40 were injured, the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal (PCMC) from Monday will start action against illegal hoardings.
The civic body has decided to file an FIR against the illegal hoarding owners and the landowners on which the hoardings were set up.
The PCMC from May 15, started a survey of illegal hoardings in the civic limits. The officials have completed 60 per cent of the survey and identified 12 such illegal hoardings.
Shekhar Singh, municipal commissioner, on Friday, held a meeting with all hoarding owners during which the warning was given to them and they were told to remove the hoardings before May 19.
If the unauthorised hoardings are not removed, the civic body will start taking action from May 20 onwards.
Singh, said, “A new facility will be started for citizens on Smart Sarathi application to report unauthorised boards in the city. With the help of information and technology, we can keep control of illegal hoardings.”
Chandrakant Indalkar, joint commissioner, PCMC, said, that from Monday the zonal offices will take action against unauthorised hoardings after inspection. “Legal action will be taken against the owner of the boards if any advertisement board is found to be more than 40 feet high,” he said.
As per the officials, the hoarding owners should renew their licenses annually. Failure to renew the license by March 31 each year will result in non-renewal. Additionally, every hoarding owner is required to submit a structural audit certificate.
License holders who fail to produce this certificate will have their licenses cancelled. It is recommended that the structural audit certificate should be issued only after an inspection by a structural engineer. It will also be mandatory to paint the structure of the advertisement board to prevent corrosion and weakening.
Furthermore, it is necessary to include instructions for citizens at the end of the board when putting up an advertisement board or hoarding. If there is any encroachment or shop under the hoarding, the board owner or the owner of the place must inform the PCMC. The civic body will take eviction action against the concerned shop, stall, or encroachment.
Two booked in Moshi hoarding collapse case
The PCMC has filed FIR against two individuals at MIDC Bhosari police station following the hoarding collapse incident on Thursday, May 16. A massive advertising hoarding collapsed here; however, no casualties were reported, but two two-wheelers and one tempo were damaged.
Following the incident, the FIR was filed against Anand Ramanlal Gandi (38), a resident of Maharishi Nagar, and Hemantkumar Shinde, a resident of Katraj. Gandi is the owner of the hoarding which collapsed, and Shinde is the structural engineer.
“The structural audit of the hoarding was not done, and the validity of the old structural audit was over. However, no efforts were taken by them to conduct the structural audit and strengthening of the structure,” said officials.
