Pune Activist Slams PMC, State Govt Over Safety Risks From Illegal Hoardings Amid Inaction And Data Discrepancies
Pune Activist Slams PMC, State Govt Over Safety Risks From Illegal Hoardings Amid Inaction And Data Discrepancies
Renuka Suryavanshi
Pune, May 23, 2025: In a strongly worded letter to the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and the Maharashtra State Government, a city-based activist, Qaneez Sukhrani has raised fresh concerns about the unchecked proliferation of illegal skysigns—hoardings, banners, and flexes—across Pune. Despite repeated court orders and state directives, the activist alleges that authorities have failed to take serious cognisance of the public safety hazards posed by these unauthorised structures.
The letter points out discrepancies in the monthly data sheet shared by PMC’s Skysign Department, questioning its credibility and urging senior municipal and state officials to verify the figures being reported. “While it is appreciated that the sheet is shared monthly, how do we know the data is factual? With illegal banners popping up overnight during festivals and birthdays, it is entirely possible that local ward offices are underreporting,” the activist stated.
Citing the Bombay High Court orders dated January 31, 2017, and December 19, 2024, alongside the MPDP Act, 1995 and the State Government’s compliance deadline of December 27, 2024, the activist expressed frustration at the lack of enforcement and monitoring mechanisms. Despite these legal frameworks, no serious action appears to have been taken, and citizens remain vulnerable to structural failures.
The urgency of the matter escalated after at least three hoardings collapsed during stormy pre-monsoon rains on May 20, 2025, across Pune. News reports confirm that multiple vehicles were damaged, although no casualties were reported. These incidents have once again highlighted the dangers of poorly installed or unapproved hoardings.
The activist further alleged that while PMC occasionally targets large hoardings, it continues to ignore thousands of illegal flexes and banners which pose equal, if not greater, threats to safety. These unauthorised displays not only mar the city’s aesthetic but could also prove fatal during storms or high winds.
In the letter, the petitioner accused PMC of systemic lapses, including failing to conduct mandatory annual structural audits and not tagging authorised hoardings with RFID markers for real-time verification. The petitioner reiterated that even after numerous follow-ups and submission of photographic evidence, no substantial corrective measures have been implemented.
As the matter continues to be presented before the High Court, the activist has warned that all municipal and state authorities will be held personally accountable for any future mishaps resulting from non-compliance.
“The lives of Pune residents cannot be jeopardised due to administrative apathy. Public safety must be a priority—not an afterthought,” the petitioner concluded.
