MCG clears 1,600 illegal hoardings, posters

The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) removed more than 1,600 illegal posters and hoardings over the past three days and lodged police complaints against at

The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) removed more than 1,600 illegal posters and hoardings over the past three days and lodged police complaints against at least 70 violators for defacement, based on which FIRs were registered, officials said on Wednesday.

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The list of violators also includes those who had erected illegal hoardings on behalf of political parties and owners of various commercial buildings as well. “Based on the numbers or names given on the illegal posters and hoardings, we have been able to track down a few violators so far and subsequently, issued a fine or registered an FIR against them. This is a special drive organised by the MCG that started Monday and work on tracking more violators is underway,” said Kuldeep Singh, assistant engineer, advertisement wing, MCG.

Singh explained that police complaints are lodged only in cases of repeated offences or failure to pay the fine.

“We emailed the police stations, depending on the area jurisdictions, following which the FIRs have been registered. We are aiming to carry out the drive throughout December,” said Singh.

He, however, declined to give specific details about the violators.

The MCG had removed 600, 550 and 450 illegal hoardings on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively.

Besides registering an FIR against 70 people, the civic body also levied fines amounting to Rs 4 lakh against at least 150 violators, under the Haryana Prevention of Defacement of Property Act, 1989. The Act allows MCG to levy penalties up to Rs 10,000 and imprisonment for up to six months, or both.

As per MCG officials, hoardings and posters were removed from Golf Course Road, Galleria Road, Old Delhi-Gurgaon Road, Sohna Road, MG Road, Southern Peripheral Road, New Railway Road and the underpasses at Rajiv Chowk, Iffco Chowk, Hero Honda Chowk and Bajgehra flyover.

In the run-up to the 2019 state elections, the MCG had issued notices to political parties for putting up posters in undesignated areas. In a notice, the MCG had informed political parties that there were over 200 designated spots in the city where political advertising was permitted and hence, advertisements in other areas would be considered illegal and lead to action.