Political parties in Mumbai continue to flout civic rules, deface city with illegal banners

Mumbai city news: A recent function at the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) headquarters left the entire stretch outside the civic body covered with illegal flags on poles and traffic lights.

Ever wondered why illegal banners continue to resurface and deface the city despite a continuous drive to remove them? The answer seems to be the continuous apathy of political parties to civic body rules and high court directions.

For instance, a GST function at the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) headquarters left the entire stretch outside the civic body covered with illegal flags on poles and traffic lights.

On BJP president Amit Shah’s recent visit to Mumbai, the city was covered with illegal posters welcoming him. Posters and banners could be seen from Western Express highway to Dadar.

Despite undertakings by various political parties that they will stop their members and supporters from defacing the city, visits like these by political leaders and many festivals in the city see a sudden surge in number of illegal posters.

BMC officials said that they fear political backlash if they take action.

In last one year, out of 16,413 banners, boards, hoardings, flags removed by the civic body, 81% or 13,312 were political in nature. Furthermore, First Information Reports (FIR) was filed only in 470 cases, although 3,711 complaints were filed with the police.

In a bid to control the unauthorised political banners, Bombay HC in February had even asked the central and state election commission if it can cancel parties’ registration if they deface public properties.