The committee constituted by the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) after five citizens lost their lives in hoarding-related accidents over three months has finally come up with a policy to prevent the mushrooming of unauthorised hoardings within the PMRDA’s jurisdiction. The policy is in keeping with state government orders based on Bombay High Court (HC) directives.
Under the new policy, strict measures will be enforced to effectively address the issue of illegal and structurally unstable hoardings. Legal notices will be issued to those responsible for constructing unauthorised hoardings, and swift action will be taken to demolish all such hoardings of individuals who fail to apply for regularisation of the same. Those seeking regularisation will be required to pay a compromise fee equivalent to twice the development fee.
Sunil Marale, joint director of town planning and town planner of the PMRDA, said, “The policy mandates the inclusion of a certificate of structural engineer which must be renewed every two years. Each hoarding will be required to display the approval number, date and validity period prominently, ensuring that the general public and authorities can easily identify authorised hoardings. Additionally, a QR code containing the approval details will be mandatory, enabling citizens to verify the authenticity of the approval through a simple scan.”
“To streamline the permission process, the PMRDA has established a dedicated cell to expedite the issuance of permits. In the near future, online approval software will be developed, further simplifying the process for applicants. The fee structure for hoardings has also been revised based on their location. Hoardings facing national and state highways, major district roads will be charged ₹70 per square foot per annum. Land within a 10 km radius of the Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad municipal limits will be charged ₹60 per square foot per annum,” Marale said.
{{/usCountry}}“To streamline the permission process, the PMRDA has established a dedicated cell to expedite the issuance of permits. In the near future, online approval software will be developed, further simplifying the process for applicants. The fee structure for hoardings has also been revised based on their location. Hoardings facing national and state highways, major district roads will be charged ₹70 per square foot per annum. Land within a 10 km radius of the Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad municipal limits will be charged ₹60 per square foot per annum,” Marale said.
{{/usCountry}}For the remaining PMRDA areas, the fee will be ₹50 per square foot per annum. Advertising fees will be assessed on a per-foot, per-annum basis. Additionally, development fees will be charged for the land beneath the hoardings.
Marale pointed out, “The action will be taken by the anti-encroachment cell of the PMRDA on a regular basis. Hoarding owners or agencies can suo moto approach the PMRDA for permission. Otherwise, the PMRDA will send notices to all hoardings in the region.”
Only 27 out of 1,440 hoardings authorised
On April 17, 2023, a hoarding fell down at Kiwale killing five persons. After the incident, the Pune district administration conducted a survey in the PMRDA region which found that of the 1,440 hoardings, only 27 were authorised- Ambegaon (one), Baramati (21), and Mulshi (five) talukas. The remaining 1,413 hoardings were unauthorised with 87 out of the 1,413 deemed hazardous, posing a significant risk of accidents.
The PMRDA jurisdiction includes 842 villages and the surrounding area of 7,357 square kilometres. This area comprises state and national highways, the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC), as well as bustling cities of Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, along with several other significant villages. The rapid pace of urbanisation within the PMRDA has spurred the development of numerous multinational companies, renowned industrial groups, residential projects, and small-scale industries. These entities commonly utilise hoardings for advertising purposes, leading to the proliferation of hundreds of these towering structures within the PMRDA limits.