Tejas Navale

Pune: When the Ghatkopar hoarding tragedy was fresh, which caused around 17 to 18 deaths, a similar incident occurred in Pune's Moshi area a week ago. In response, the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has announced plans to ramp up its efforts against unauthorised hoardings in the city, aiming to prevent such tragedies in the future.

Consequently, the Municipal Corporation has filed FIRs against all 24 illegal hoarding owners, landowners, and advertisers identified in a recent survey. These individuals have been charged under IPC 1860, section 336, the Maharashtra Prevention of Defacement of Property Act, 1995, section 3, and the Municipal Act, 1888, sections 244 and 245, at the Pimpri Police Station.

Following the Moshi hoarding collapse incident, the PCMC carried out an extensive survey from May 15 to 20 to identify unauthorised hoardings within the municipal boundaries. Thus far, the civic authority has dismantled nine illegal hoardings, while 11 hoarding owners have voluntarily complied with regulations and taken down their structures.

While speaking on the municipal corporation's zero-tolerance approach to illegal hoardings, PCMC Commissioner Shekhar Singh said, "We are taking an uncompromising stance against illegal hoardings. FIRs have been lodged against all identified hoarding owners in this regard, and we will remove every unauthorised structure identified. We are implementing a new structural audit format that clarifies instructions and assigns responsibility, ensuring hoarding owners cannot evade accountability."

He also ensured that the ongoing surveys and subsequent actions would be consistent and not merely temporary measures.

Joint Commissioner Chandrakant Indalkar said, “The removal of illegal hoardings and lodging of FIRs marks a significant step in our ongoing efforts to uphold civic order and safety. Our teams worked diligently to dismantle these structures, and we will continue our efforts to monitor and regulate hoardings across the city.”

Meanwhile, in addition to targeting illegal hoardings, the PCMC has identified 341 hoardings that exceed the permitted size limits as per their licenses. Deputy Commissioner Sandip Khot said that these hoarding owners will be given notices to rectify their sizes or to face demolition.

Earlier last week, PCMC filed an FIR against two individuals, Anand Ramanlal Gandhi and Hemant Kumar Shinde, at the MIDC Bhosari police station, following the collapse of a hoarding in Moshi on May 16.

In the meantime, the PCMC has released guidelines urging advertisers and landowners to comply with regulations aimed at averting hazards and safeguarding public safety. The civic authority emphasises the importance of ensuring that hoarding owners obtain the necessary permissions from the Sky Sign and License Department before installing hoardings on iron structures on their premises. The guideline further warned of legal repercussions for responsible hoarding owners and advertisers against any breaches of regulations or failure to comply.