PMRDA initiate action to file police complaints against illegal hoardings

After the recent hoarding collapse in Ghatkopar, Mumbai, the district collector issued orders to the PMRDA, Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) and other municipal councils to take action against illegal hoardings

The Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) on Friday initiated action to file police complaints against 132 illegal hoardings in its jurisdiction, most of which are located in the Hinjewadi and Mahalunge areas.

Rules mandate that the PMRDA remove illegal hoardings and file police complaints. However, the PMRDA had not yet initiated action against the illegal hoardings as it did not get permission from the Election Commission of India (ECI) to open tenders and give work orders to demolish the illegal hoardings despite repeated requests. (REPRESENTATIVE PHOTO)

After the recent hoarding collapse in Ghatkopar, Mumbai, the district collector issued orders to the PMRDA, Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) and other municipal councils to take action against illegal hoardings. Thereafter, the PMC, PCMC and other municipal councils of Pune district initiated action, and demolished illegal hoardings within their limits.

Rules mandate that the PMRDA remove illegal hoardings and file police complaints. However, the PMRDA had not yet initiated action against the illegal hoardings as it did not get permission from the Election Commission of India (ECI) to open tenders and give work orders to demolish the illegal hoardings despite repeated requests. However now, the PMRDA has decided to file police complaints against the owners of illegal hoardings.

Sachin Maske, tehsildar and in-charge of the sky and sign department of the PMRDA said, “As per the law, owners have to remove illegal hoardings after getting notice from the authority. If the owner fails to do so, the PMRDA takes action. We have issued notices to owners of 1,000 illegal hoardings. Out of the 1,000, we have identified 132 dangerous hoardings that are oversized and located in crowded areas such as Hinjewadi, Mahalunge and along the Mumbai-Pune highway.”

“We have completed all the paperwork and PMRDA commissioner Rahul Mahiwal has given the green signal to file a case against these illegal hoardings. We have written letters to the concerned police stations to file cases. The process has been initiated,” Maske said.

Meanwhile, the Chakan Municipal Council began taking down unauthorised hoardings from Tuesday morning. The council took down two large iron hoardings in the Chakan Talegaon Chowk area. Other big hoardings in the Chakan Palika limits at Talegaon Chowk were also taken down. The municipality surveyed the area for unauthorised hoardings and is taking stern action against them.

The Chakan Municipal Council has issued notices to the owners of 60 unauthorised hoardings. About 25 of the owners have provided stability certificates, which the council is verifying.