Demands action plan

The Bombay High Court has reprimanded the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) for its lackadaisical approach in addressing the issue of 49 unauthorized hoardings in the city. The court has ordered the municipal administration to submit an affidavit detailing concrete action taken and future plans to resolve the issue.

Following the recent hoarding collapse in Ghatkopar, the TMC had initiated actions against illegal hoardings. However, discrepancies emerged regarding the actual number of hoardings acted upon and the nature of the actions. Maharashtra Navnirman Sena's Ovala-Majiwada Assembly Division President, Sandeep Pachange, unearthed startling facts through an information request. He alleged that despite submitting complaints to the Thane Municipal Commissioner, no substantial actions were taken. He demanded criminal proceedings against hoarding operators defrauding the civic body and municipal officials who provided inaccurate inspection reports.

Frustrated by the TMC's inaction, Pachange filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in the High Court through lawyer Sagar Joshi. During the hearing on Friday, the court severely criticized TMC's legal representative, advocate Mandar Limaye, over the administration’s inefficiency.

The civic body had imposed a fine of ₹11 crore on 49 billboard operators, giving them a seven-day deadline to pay. Yet, under alleged political pressure, the TMC hesitated to take further action. The court noted that instead of removing the unauthorized hoardings, TMC merely directed operators to reduce their size. Some companies have repeatedly violated regulations by erecting oversized billboards.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyay and Justice Amit Borkar questioned whether the TMC was inefficient or complicit in the illegal hoarding activities. They directed the municipal body to submit a detailed affidavit before the next hearing, outlining actions taken and future measures for controlling illegal hoardings across the city.

Pachange emphasized the urgent need for a comprehensive policy to regulate hoardings, ensuring strict enforcement to preserve the city's aesthetics and safeguard citizens from potential accidents caused by unstable hoardings.