20 March,2024 07:03 AM IST | Mumbai | A Correspondent
The hoardings missing from the streets after BMC exercise
What countless complaints and the High Court could not accomplish, the elections achieved in the city. All BMC wards promptly removed or covered political hoardings within 24 hours. Citizens advocate for a permanent code of conduct, urging the BMC to remove the illegal banners' permanent iron structures. Despite regular complaints and court directives, the BMC hesitated to address illegal hoardings. However, with the onset of the Lok Sabha election schedule and the enforcement of the code of conduct, BMC officers swiftly took down almost all illegal posters, banners, and hoardings within 48 hours.
"This demonstrates that BMC officials are now taking concrete action, especially during elections, as the rampant spread of illegal hoarding contractors has halted. The honourable Bombay High Court should take note of this deceitful behaviour, revealing the true conduct of officials who misled the judiciary while the city remained defaced by illegal hoardings," said Trivankuman Karnani, founder of the Mumbai North Central District Forum (MNCDF).
Social media echoed similar sentiments, with users criticising BMC's inaction. Amitabh Arolkar expressed hope that the model code of conduct remains post-elections, decrying the eyesore of political banners ruining the city's aesthetics. Another user lamented the city's cleanliness efforts being tied to election cycles, instead of consistent action. While BMC has addressed banners, the structures supporting them remain on roads and footpaths. Residents fear a resurgence of banners once the code of conduct ends.
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"BMC removed and covered banners in our locality, but 160 permanent iron structures holding illegal banners still dot Chandivli and Powai. To truly uphold the law, BMC must remove these structures," said Mandeep Singh Makkar, founder of the Chandivli Citizens Welfare Association (CCWA). Makkar highlighted a political banner in Powai, insisting on its removal despite past complaints, speculating that S ward might cover it to showcase action. An officer from S Ward said, "We now focus on covering banners rather than determining their legality, as removing the iron structure is challenging."
48 hrs
Time BMC took to take down hoardings
