Nagpur: In a baffling development, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has found no illegal hoardings in the city after a thorough survey of 370 hoarding sites over the last two days. None of the inspected hoardings were found to be illegal, said a report in a local daily.
The survey was conducted following the recent collapse of hoarding in Mumbai in which 16 people were killed and several others were injured.
Following directives from NMC Commissioner Abhijeet Chaudhari, two flying squads have been deployed to ensure hoarding safety.
Today’s Rate
Wednesday 02 Oct. 2024
According to the report, there are currently 1,053 authorized hoardings in the city. The teams are inspecting hoardings to verify compliance with permitted dimensions, possession of permissions, and completion of structural stability audits.
NMC reported that all 370 sites inspected by the squads in 48 hours were found to be in accordance with authorization requirements.
However, another report in a local newspaper said that Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) authorities are seeking counsel from its legal department to remind railway authorities about the need to adhere to laid down rules for erection of hoardings within city limits.
A meeting was chaired by Municipal Commissioner Dr Abhijeet Chaudhari, regarding directives from Urban Development Department (UDD), Maharashtra Government, on the issue of hoarding, where the issue about billboards put up in various places and the extant rules was discussed threadbare.
The Revenue Department had already communicated to Railways the rules governing putting up hoardings. Still, the Commissioner directed officials to draft a proper letter after consulting legal experts and then send it to railway authorities. About 200 hoardings are put-up on railway lands and the permission for the same is granted as per the extant policy adopted by Indian Railways. Still within municipal corporation limits, the hoarding issue is addressed in Maharashtra Municipal Corporation (MMC) Rules and as per May 9, 2002, GR, the norms about structural stability of structure are clearly specified.
According to Milind Meshram, Deputy Commissioner, Revenue, as per the MMC Rules, the Sec 264 is quite clear, any building within corporation jurisdiction has to furnish structural stability report every 30 years. Similarly, the new rules as to hoarding policy also laid down that the owner seeking to put-up a billboard in corporation limits has to submit a structural stability report at time of its erection and thereafter every three-years. As to city specific, the hoarding in the city has been issued permission in 2021-22 and 2022- 23 and hence most of them should be in order and their structure stability certificates are also being scrutinised again as a matter of abundant precaution.
The current survey as per directive of State Government about hoarding is simply to cross check whether there is any violation as to display size as the same plays an important role in structural stability. In the past, the city had witnessed gusty winds but so far, no report of damage to any hoarding occurred at any place. He said NMC has already asked the railway authorities to ensure that the hoarding structures within their jurisdiction are as per the stipulated rules.
Also, the railways were told that overall licence issuance for hoarding within city limits still vests with NMC and directed the former to furnish their structural stability certificates. The Mumbai incident and the collapse of a massive billboard in Pimpri Chinchwad earlier last year has again highlighted the necessity of single authority to govern the issue of permission for putting-up hoarding in public places.
Meanwhile, Vikas Thakre, President, Nagpur City District Congress Committee and West Nagpur MLA, has claimed massive violation in putting up 400 hoarding in city as the norms laid down in Sky Sign and Advertisements by State Government has not been adhered to by licensee. He particularly highlighted 200 hoardings in railway land that are prone to falling down and called for its immediate removal.
Thakre contended that some of the hoardings that have been put-up on railway bridges or height gauges are prone to fall down and this could prove dangerous for passers-by underneath them. Hundreds of citizens crisscross these spots daily and hence, NMC should immediately take action against such hoardings. At many intersections, the maximum height of 40×30 mentioned for hoardings can be seen violated. Several of the advertisers have put up one hoarding atop another which could prove dangerous, Thakre apprehended.
