BMC removes 217 banners on HC directive

Mumbai, Feb 1 (UNI) Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has removed 217 hoardings from various parts of the city following a High Court directive.

Speaking to reporters here today, Additional Municipal Commissioner R A Rajeev said that the Corporation has removed 123 hoardings from heritage sites, 21 that violated CRZ regulations and 73 that violated the new guidelines laid by the BMC.

''We could not remove 245 hoardings due to stay orders from the Supreme and the High Court,'' Mr Rajeev added.

Mr Rajeev informed that in the month of November last year, 72,911 commercial and political banners, cut-outs and flags had been removed by the BMC and in January this year, as many as 37,765 such banners were removed. He added that the civic body has collected Rs 675,006 as fine during the period.

Commenting on the birthday greetings put up by the political parties for their leaders, Mr Rajeev said it is permitted to put them for 10 days after which a fine will be imposed.

''In most of the cases, the person who has put up the posters is not known and the corporation simply removes them,'' Mr Rajeev said.

UNI JN GR VKG1922