Despite repeated warnings by the residents of Sahakarnagar, Viman Nagar and Kothrud in Pune, illegal flex boards have been put up all over the area. The residents claim that their issues have fallen on deaf ears, as authorities are not taking strict measures, and people continue to put up these illegal structures.
Residents speak up
Mohan Tavhare, a resident of Viman Nagar, said, "Near Datta Mandir in Viman Nagar, illegal flex and hoardings have come up, and despite repeated complaints, the civic authorities are turning a blind eye to our issues. The greetings for birthdays and anniversaries can be seen on these banners, and this not only makes the entire area look shabby, but it also poses a threat to commuters and walkers. During monsoons, we have witnessed many incidents of falling boards."
Pranav Unde, a resident of Sahakarnagar, said, "Illegal flex boards have been put up all over Sahakarnagar, and despite lodging a direct complaint with the zonal officer, no action has been taken yet. The concerned officials claim that these flex boards have been installed by people from Ambegaon, and several names are being mentioned. What’s more troubling is that these flex boards feature ruling party candidates. Interestingly, in Kasba Peth, a respected leader from the same ruling party has ensured the area is completely flex-free. And pictures of them can be seen all over the flex."
"PMC must take strict action against those putting up illegal flex boards and impose fines. Otherwise, public trust in PMC will erode, and its Smart City claims will lose credibility," added Unde.
Manjusha Sawant, a resident of Kothrud, highlighted how these hoardings are posing a threat to the residents. "Illegal hoardings can be seen all over the city; the Kothrud area is no different from facing these issues. The areas near the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Statue and Kothrud Gaothan have hoardings all over, and during monsoons, they are likely to fall down and can take a life. A few weeks ago, a small banner fell over a dog that was sitting on the footpath. Luckily, the dog received only minor injuries. Strict action is needed by the authorities, and a constant check is needed to maintain law and order in this regard."
On the condition of anonymity, one resident from Sahakarnagar said, "People are spending money to get their photos printed on these hoardings, and these people are mostly politicians. They talk about saving the environment but are turning the beautiful city ugly. Is PMC allowing law violators to act freely? You can’t call it a Smart City while allowing such defacement of public spaces. The PMC administration and the ruling party must answer for this."
Recently, PMC has identified 88 unauthorised hoardings within the jurisdiction of four regional offices and has already removed 24 of them. The Municipal Commissioner directed all regional offices to immediately remove unauthorised hoardings and submit a detailed report.
A PMC official said, "The crackdown is already happening and is expected to continue as the civic body intensifies its scrutiny of illegal hoardings and strengthens internal checks to prevent further violations."
