Pune: The corporators in the city are concerned about the illegal hoardings being witnessed in several areas. The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has warned those using these hoardings for promotion to be careful before uploading advertisements on illegal hoarding panels or face legal action.

As per the Advertising Hoardings Rules and Regulations Act, 2003, of the Maharashtra Municipal Corporation Act, the PMC has the responsibility to allow construction of hoardings and advertising boards in the civic limits. The civic body has granted permission to set up the hoardings at the private places, open spaces in the PMC jurisdiction. However, it was noticed that there are numerous illegal hoardings still erected in the city.

Currently, 1,818 hoardings are registered with the administration. Officials in the administration have stated that there are at least 6,500 to 7,000 small and large hoardings or display panels in the limits. In some areas, hoardings are built on dilapidated buildings. Despite a ban on setting up hoardings higher than 40 metres above the ground, one can witness many hoardings crossing the limits.

Corporator Rafiq Sheikh and Corporator Rajshri Kale have requested a proposal to take any action on such illegally constructed hoardings in 15 days. The proposal draft has been kept ahead of the Standing Committee. The duo has also complained that the concerned department officials are not taking action after pointing out the facts in this regard. The proposed draft also says that, if any casualty or unforeseen incidents take place due to such illegal hoardings, the officials of the respective department must be held responsible, the proposal said.

In October 2018, four persons were killed and eleven injured when an illegal-oversized hoarding fell on a busy road near Pune Station area. The massive hoarding, owned by the Railways and installed in Railway premises, collapsed on commuters on a street which witnessed heavy traffic in broad daylight.