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PMC launches crackdown on illegal flex banners, printers
Municipal commissioner Naval Kishore Ram issued an order stating that anyone found erecting unauthorised banners will face a fine of ₹1,000 per flex
The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) on Tuesday launched a citywide drive to curb the growing menace of illegal flex banners. Under the new rules, every flex will now have to display the name of the printing press, enabling officials to trace and penalise those responsible for unauthorised printing.
Municipal commissioner Naval Kishore Ram issued an order stating that anyone found erecting unauthorised banners will face a fine of ₹1,000 per flex. A police complaint will also be filed under the Maharashtra Prevention of Defacement of Property Act, 1995.
The civic chief also warned that if illegal banners are found, the concerned assistant commissioner will be held accountable. Senior civic officials have been asked to inspect different areas and ensure that at least five cases are registered daily from each regional office.
Flexes put up without permission on electric poles, signals, and dividers have been creating traffic congestion and spoiling the city’s appearance. Additional commissioner Prithviraj B. P. said that the permanent iron frames used for flexes will also be removed. “Flex printing businesses will now have to mention their name on each banner. This will help identify unauthorised printers and control illegal flexes,” he said.
Before PMC’s decision, Viman Nagar residents had already taken the lead by conducting a voluntary flex-removal drive early on September 27. Despite heavy rain at 5:30am, citizens gathered by 5:45am and removed nearly 40-50 illegal banners from their locality.
Residents said they had requested PMC’s sky sign department to act, but were told that the remaining banners would only be cleared after Navratri. Frustrated by the delay, they decided to act on their own. During the cleanup, they found layers of old and new flexes pasted over each other, covering temples, schools, gardens, shop boards, and even ‘no parking’ signs.
“We welcome the PMC commissioner’s initiative, but it is not being implemented seriously. Ward officers often ignore citizens’ concerns. They may conduct a drive for a few days, but soon everything goes back to square one. We are willing to support PMC officials, yet they show little commitment. The Bombay high court has issued strict directives to take action against officials who fail to perform their duties, but accountability is still lacking,” said a resident.
