Tejas Navale

Pune, January 9, 2025: In a significant action to curb unauthorised advertisements in the city, Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Commissioner Shekhar Singh has issued stern orders to take punitive action against those who deface the city with unauthorised hoardings, posters, and advertisements. These advertisement boards often appear during birthdays, programs, and festivals in the city without prior municipal permission. To enforce the ban effectively, a ward-wise citizens' committee will soon be formed.

Commissioner Singh chaired a high-level meeting where he instructed municipal officers to crack down on unauthorised hoardings, arches, mandaps, and flags illegally erected in public and private spaces. Regional officers were tasked with taking swift action against such violations, including documenting instances with photographs and video recordings, which will be maintained in official records.

Licensed hoarding operators will now face greater scrutiny. It will be mandatory for all licensed boards to display key details, including the license number, license period, and QR code, prominently. These will be verified by nodal and regional officers. Additionally, Commissioner Singh emphasised that temporary booths and mandaps, erected with permission for festivals or events, must not feature any hoardings or advertisements. Violators of this condition will face strict penalties.

To bolster enforcement, the municipality plans to establish ward-wise citizens’ committees tasked with monitoring and reporting unauthorised hoardings, posters, and advertisements. Special focus will be given to preventing the use of plastic and non-degradable materials, with penalties levied on offenders.

The Commissioner also directed that proposals for new billboards and renewal of previously approved ones must be submitted to the respective regional office. Regional officers and license inspectors will conduct site inspections and submit detailed reports. These proposals will then be forwarded to the Sky Sign and Licensing Department for final approval.