Pune: PMC cracks down on illegal hoardings after tragedy in Ravet which killed 5

Days after a huge illegal advertising hoarding collapsed in Pimpri-Chinchwad killing 5 people, the Pune Municipal Corporation has taken swift action to crack down on illegal hoardings in its jurisdiction, in a bid to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.

The License and Skysigns Department of the Pune civic body took action against unauthorized hoardings, boards, banners, flexes, flags, posters, and kiosks at various locations within the 15 regional office limits. 

Action against total of 405 structures

The PMC's Skysigns Department, in the two-day operation which took place on April 19 and 20, took action against a total of 405 structures, including 35 hoardings, 18 flags, 46 posters, 32 kiosks, and 274 boards, banners, and flexes. The crackdown aims to enforce stricter regulations on illegal advertising structures and prevent similar incidents like the recent collapse of illegal hoarding in Pimpri-Chinchwad.

2018 Tragedy

The recent tragedy in brought back memories of a similar incident that occurred in 2018 in Pune. In that incident, a 40-foot hoarding collapsed on vehicles that had stopped at the Shahir Amar Shaikh Chowk traffic light near the Pune Railway Station, resulting in the deaths of four people and injuring five others. At the time, the hoarding was being dismantled by a contractor hired by the railways when it came crashing down around 2 pm.

Recently, speaking to the media after meeting with PMC ward officers, district guardian minister Chandrakant Patil had said those ward officers will be held responsible for the encroachments and for illegal flex hoardings put up in the city and on the hills. 

He said, "Such encroachments and advertisements are defacing the city and ward officers must ensure that these illegal acts do not happen in their jurisdictions." 

"I am going to issue orders to party workers about not attending programmes if firecrackers are burst or illegal flexes are put up," he added.