An incident of license misuse for erecting advertisement hoardings has come to light in Pimpri Chinchwad, sparking concerns about compliance with regulations. The issue revolves around a license granted for a specific location but used to install hoardings in multiple areas across the city. A coaching academy operator, originally authorized to place a hoarding in Talawade Chowk, has extended advertisements to various locations under the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), including Nigdi and Rupee Nagar. In response, the PCMC administration has pledged to take action against those responsible for erecting hoardings without a proper license or installing multiple hoardings using a single license.
The tragic incident in Ghatkopar, Mumbai, where heavy rainfall and winds led to the collapse of a large advertisement hoarding, resulting in casualties, prompted several civic bodies to conduct surveys of hoardings in their jurisdictions. PCMC had already initiated such surveys following a similar incident in Kiwale last year, which claimed lives. However, in light of the Ghatkopar tragedy, PCMC intensified its efforts. In the current fiscal year, 72 criminal cases have been filed against hoarding holders, space owners, and board holders for unauthorized hoardings or failure to provide structural audits.
Investigations have revealed a common practice among license holders of obtaining permission for one location from PCMC’s Skysign and Licenses Department but misusing that single license for multiple locations. For instance, a private coaching academy in PCMC advertised its students’ exam success using multiple hoardings despite holding a license for only one. Although authorized to erect a hoarding in Talawade Chowk, the academy placed additional hoardings in Rupee Nagar, Nigdi, and Pradhikaran, exceeding the permitted limits in size.
In response to these incidents, PCMC mandated that hoardings display a license sticker in a corner, detailing essential information such as the name, fees, land, size, and duration of the permit. However, the academy operator used identical details on all their hoardings, exposing the misuse. The PCMC administration has pledged to take stringent action against the responsible party. Officials from the Skysign and Licenses Department have also reported similar complaints. Despite manpower shortages during the Lok Sabha election, efforts to enforce regulations were limited, but more rigorous actions are now planned.
PCMC’s Skysign and License Department Deputy Commissioner, Sandeep Khot, emphasized the importance of compliance, stating, “PCMC has designated 120 spaces for small advertisement hoardings. The authorization details must be displayed on the boards. We are going to take action against the academy that obtained a license for one hoarding but erected multiple hoardings near Nigdi.”
