Justice Dilip Bhosale to head committee to oversee changes to stockpiling rules

Bombay: The Maharashtra Legislative Council has witnessed a heated debate on the proliferation of illegal hoardings in Mumbai, triggered by the recent tragic incident in Ghatkopar. Shivsena UBT MLC Sunil Shinde brought the issue to the fore by moving a motion highlighting the grave public safety hazards and governance lapses associated with unauthorised and oversized parking in the city.

The Industry Minister has assured that the hoarding policy will soon be reformed. A committee headed by Justice Dilip Bhosle will be constituted, comprising MLAs and experts, to look into the issue.

Concerns were raised during the session over the blatant violation of hoarding rules and Sunil Shinde condemned the ubiquitous presence of these structures across Mumbai. He stressed, “Though hoardings generate a lot of revenue, many people exploit this opportunity for illegal gains. Areas like south Mumbai are particularly flooded and some hoardings generate revenues running into lakhs.”

Shinde also pointed out the violation of public space, questioning the effectiveness of the BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation) in enforcing the rules. He said, “The notices near railway tracks and on footpaths pose a direct threat to commuters. The lack of response by the BMC raises serious questions about their commitment to public safety.”

The debate also revealed startling statistics from BMC audits, which found 99 hoardings posing a serious hazard to rail passengers and commuters. Despite a year-ago order to Western Railway to remove illegal hoardings outside Mahalaxmi station, no action has been taken, deepening concerns about enforcement.

Congress MLC Bhai Jagtap criticised the government’s response to the Ghatkopar incident, lamenting the inadequate financial assistance to the victims and their families. He demanded accountability, asking: “When will those responsible for the 17 deaths be held accountable? When will the officials who allowed these hoardings be suspended?”

In response to the mounting criticism, Industries Minister Uday Samant assured the Council of stringent measures to resolve the issue. He recognized the need to modernize the policy and stressed immediate action against illegal displays, especially those that threaten railway safety. Samant promised, “We will enforce stringent action against railway hoardings and cooperate with traffic authorities to prevent such incidents in the future.”

The discussion also touched upon the issue of legislative reforms, with the Peasants and Workers’ Party of India MLC Jayant Patil advocating for a comprehensive legislative framework to regulate hoardings across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). Minister Samant confirmed the existence of appropriate regulations, signaling openness to possible changes.

Satyajeet Tambe, MLC from Nashik Graduates constituency, highlighted the statewide implications of the garbage hoarding menace, pointing out the lack of capacity of municipalities to conduct thorough audits. He said, “Municipal corporations lack the manpower to conduct audits, but the government suggests visual inspection. The government has failed to fight the Railways in court. There is a need to take action on illegal hoardings across the state, which is a serious problem. Unfortunately, our government will not take action until there is a major accident.”

MLC Shashikant Shinde of the Nationalist Congress Party raised concerns about the effectiveness of collection audits and the discrepancy between permits granted and those observed in practice. Minister Samant assured the council that comprehensive audits were underway to resolve these discrepancies.

Attention was drawn to the issue of digital boards, with Shivsena UBT MLC Anil Parab highlighting their potential to distract drivers and calling for strict enforcement of the Defamation Act. “Will decisive action be taken before this session ends? Digital hoardings from Bandra to Goregaon and Dahisar are a major distraction to traffic. The Defamation Act must be strictly enforced – without exception, even in the case of signs bearing the Prime Minister’s name. We are all citizens bound Complaints have been filed against me regarding the boards; shouldn’t the same control apply to CM? Accountability must be universal, regardless of title and status.

In response, Minister Samant promised immediate audits of digital boards and talks with the Regional Transport Office (RTO) to curb their spread.

Published: Sat Jun 29, 2024 23:00 IST