Mumbai: Ganeshotsav over, politicians forget to remove jarring hoardings

Hoardings near a Ganesh pandal at Dharavi on Sunday. Pic/Atul Kamble

A number of hoardings put up by politicians in the vicinity of Ganpati pandals across the city are standing tall even after the festival is over. The temporary frames erected to hold the banners, displayed with an eye on BMC polls, can crumble anytime and trigger mishaps, said citizens. The BMC is yet to take any action against the violators, said sources.

A few more at Sion on Sunday. Pic/Atul Kamble

While the BMC grants permission for banners, it is given for a fixed time period. A civic official told mid-day, "Permission is granted on the condition that the banners be removed after the festival is over. If the banner is not removed, action is taken against them." As per rules, the corporation can register an FIR against violators apart from imposing a penalty up to Rs 5,000.

A banner must have a permission letter or else, it's considered unauthorised. Pic/Shadab Khan

Matunga resident Nikhil Desai said the unsafe, jarring structures pose a huge risk to citizens, particularly pedestrians. "Who should remove these banners is a secondary issue for citizens. We expect to be able to walk safely," he said. "The BMC should take strict action on this." In a few places, banners have been removed, but the bamboo frame is yet to be dismantled. "The arch-like structure has not been removed at a few places. This is very dangerous," said Desai.

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Goregaon resident Gopal Prabhu said he too is worried about the frame-supported banners that are still on the roadside. "These hoardings make the city unsafe. We expect them to be removed immediately after the festival." As per a Bombay High Court ruling, political and commercial banners are banned across the city, but BMC allows hoardings within 100 metres of pandals only during festivals.

Banners put up on a pavement at Borivli on Sunday. Pic/Shadab Khan

Subhash Rane, an activist from Malad-Goregoan, said, "As per BMC rules, it is mandatory to have a permission letter, which mentions the time limit, for each banner. If there is no such letter with the banner, then the banner is considered unauthorised. While I complained to the local ward office about many banners and action was taken, we still see so many of them across the city." BMC's Licence Superintendent S S Bande did not respond to calls.

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No of months a violator can be jailed