With the festive season approaching, illegal hoardings have sprung up across the city, covering intersections, roadsides and even signboards. Officials of the municipal corporation (MC) appear to have turned a blind eye, say residents.
Even the entrance to the mini secretariat has been flooded with illegal hoardings from where judges, deputy commissioner and other senior officials pass through regularly but no action has been taken so far. According to MC’s policy, specific sites are designated by private firms for advertising legally. Unauthorized hoardings have proliferated across the city, particularly during visits by leaders of the ruling party.
According to the Punjab Municipal Outdoor Advertisement Policy 2018, no person shall erect, exhibit, fix or retain any hoarding, frame, post, kiosk/billboard over any land, building, structure, upon or in any vehicle, in any place within the jurisdiction. of the urban local bodies (ULBs) without the prior permission of the commissioner concerned.
Hoardings of various sizes promoting everything from festive sales to political campaigns have been put up in busy areas of the city, causing obstruction and often blocking important road signs. Residents have expressed concern about it as the issue also poses safety risks to commuters.
Dilpreet Singh, a resident of Civil Lines, said, “The authorities are ignoring the issue. At major intersections, these hoardings cause distractions. Many of them block important signage, making it difficult for drivers to navigate. This could lead to accidents, especially during the crowded festive season.”
Municipal corporation officials, seeking anonymity, acknowledged the issue. One of them said, “The problem is growing. There are some efforts made to remove hoardings, but the enforcement is largely lax. There is also political pressure due to which officials do not remove the illegal hoardings.”
Activists and residents have called for immediate action, urging the MC to take strict measures to remove the illegal hoardings and prevent further violations. They believe the inaction of the authorities is sending a message that these illegal activities are acceptable, especially during the festive rush.
Despite repeated attempts, MC commissioner Aaditya Dachalwal was not available for comments.
