Your Space: Take strict action against illegal hoardings, violators
Illegal banners and hoardings deface a majority of chowks, signals and junctions in the city. It hinders the road users’ view as well as traffic movement. It can also be life-threatening. In 2018, four people were killed when a metal hoarding frame collapsed near Juna Bazar. Readers suggest steps to stop this menace
PUNE Illegal banners and hoardings deface a majority of chowks, signals and junctions in the city. It hinders the road users’ view as well as traffic movement. In some cases, it can also be life-threatening. In 2018, four people were killed and seven injured when a 40-foot metal hoarding frame collapsed near Juna Bazar. Readers suggest steps to stop this menace.
Allocate specific place just for limited hoardings
The illegal posters and banners create a lot of nuisances for the people and shopkeepers. Many times, the banners cover the entrance of the shop. In the chowk, the flex covers the road and leads to accidents. They don’t remove it for months. It is a never-ending problem. One of the solutions to this menace is to fix a deadline and adhere to it. The government should allocate a specific place just for the limited posters. They can also use social media effectively for promotion.
Panna Shetty
Remove all illegal banners
The posters often lead to unwarranted debris as they witness continuous episodes of wear and tear due to lack of maintenance. It is common in all aspects of city life, stretching from chowks to narrow lanes. Hoardings ruin city aesthetics and the government must strategically plan to limit its imposition on city life. All the illegal banners and posters must be removed. They must be replaced by LED set-ups in designated areas to reduce any inimical impact on public life, health and the environment. The age-old methods of posters must be discontinued.
Ankit Sinha
Black list illegal agencies and cancel their license
In monsoon due to heavy rain storms, these banners may fall causing dangerous accidents. They are a nuisance. There needs to be an increase in strength and vigilance squads which will be helpful for the seizure of illegal banners and posters on a day-to-day basis. The government may blacklist illegal agencies and cancel their license. The standard size, shape, and tenure of banners should be instructed and if it is not followed accordingly, they may charge fines. Public property should be used only for public welfare not for these banners.
Advocate Gayatri Shinde
Explore digital, environment-friendly options
Most of these posters are set up without taking proper permission from the authorities. These posters cause a lot of problems to commoners because sometimes they disrupt the view ahead. The posters also happen to harm the environment because of their material. It is non-biodegradable. I feel they have majorly increased in number over years. To deal with them I feel they should be completely banned by the government. They should also try to explore digital advertisements to reduce such posters. The materials should also be environment-friendly.
Snehal Gaikwad
Take strict action
The main problem is that there are no designated spots for these posters. They block red lights which makes driving very difficult at some points. They also lead to accidents. The solution needs to be twofold. The people who put up such posters should be penalized because only then will people be afraid to do this. Punekars should raise a voice when they see these posters. They should write letters to the PMC highlighting the issue in their area.
Sachin Reddy
Use social media for promotion and advertising
During major festivals, the banners cover the entire lane. They hide the shops, offices, and signals causing hindrance to people. PMC-approved hoardings are fine because they are constructed according to norms. But all the other banners should be removed and strict action should be taken against the offenders. The illegal banners should be banned completely. I feel social media needs to be used extensively in an appropriate way for advertising. The use of technology can solve this problem.
Sachin Shitole