Six months after it announced the formulation of a new policy on hoardings and banners in the city, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has not been able to implement it earnestly due to the the civic administration’s lack of willpower.
The BMC’s new policy calls for a blanket ban on political hoardings and banners in the city. It is planning to put up stringent conditions in the policy to prevent misuse of hoardings by political parties.
As per the current policy, only 20 banners and hoardings are allowed in each ward. However, there has been mushrooming of banners, mostly political, all over the city. As per the new guidelines, these banners will be about only social awareness. Permissions will not be given to any political banner, or hoardings related to birthday wishes, welcome greetings etc.
“We are planning to allow hoardings of only religious and social nature in the city. Political parties will not be given permission to put up banners. We are mulling relaxation of conditions for political hoardings only during festival time,” said additional municipal commissioner Mohan Adtani.
“We have also decided to register police complaints against people who put up illegal hoardings under the prevention of defacement of property act. The maximum punishment will be a jail term for three months, or a fine of `2,000 or both. If anyone is still opposed to it, legal action will be taken against him,” he added.
However, there have been no efforts from the civic administration to push for the new policy. “We will soon put up the draft policy on the BMC’s website for scrutiny by public,” said a civic official.