HC directs Delhi Govt to resolve the issues of hoardings

New Delhi, Dec 7 (UNI) The Delhi High Court has directed the Chief Secretary of Delhi to convene a meeting of different authorities including the MCD Commissioner and DMRC Chief to resolve the issue of hoardings on strategic points, creating traffic hazards in the Capital, which were put up in contravention to the Supreme Court directions.

In an 8-page order, Justice Geeta Mittal said, ''A direction is issued to the Chief Secretary of Delhi Government, to convene and chair a meeting in which the Commissioner of Municipal Corporation of Delhi(MCD), Vice Chairman DDA, General Manager Northern Railway, Chairman DMRC, Chairperson NDMC, Transport Secretary, Chairman DTC, DCP Traffic'' to participate to resolve the vexed issue of putting hoardings and advertisements on various points.

While deciding three petitions-- Delhi Waste Management vs PWD, Pioneer Publicity Corporation vs Government of NCT and Shalimar Advertisers vs Delhi Metro Rail--, the Court directed the authorities to decide the matter in six weeks and file an affidavit before February 5, the next date of hearing.

The Court said these authorities would examine the matter and arrive at a decision with regard to their jurisdiction, the permissible sites where hoardings or advertisements would be permissible, size and other aspects bearing in mind the principles of law laid down by the Apex Court.

The Public Works Department(PWD) of Delhi Government had raised objection to the advertisements and hoardings on garbage bins, metro rail bridges, railway bridges, crossings at ring roads, MCD toilets at stratergic points by putting a public notice in a newspaper on November 27.

Citing the orders of the Apex Court in the M C Mehta vs Union of India, the PWD said these advertisements were hazardous and created disturbance to safe traffic movements on the main roads by distracting and de-attracting the attention of the drivers and endangering the lives of people.

Senior Counsel A S Chandihoke, appearing for the respondents, submitted that the companies were permitted to install such advertisements by allocating the sites and these spots had been auctioned by floating open tenders.

The MCD had collected a huge amount from the advertisers and the companies for putting the hoardings and advertisements, he said.

UNI PAT SK RS1822