Aaditya Thackeray Urges Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis To Scrap Floating Hoardings Plan In Mumbai’s Sea; Calls It 'Ridiculous, Possibly Corrupt Idea'

Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray urged Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to intervene and stop the proposed installation of floating advertising hoardings along Mumbai’s coastline, calling the move 'highly irresponsible' and warning that it would compromise the city’s aesthetics.

Thackeray Criticises Maritime Board’s Proposal

In a letter to Fadnavis, a copy of which Thackeray shared on social media platform X on Thursday, the Worli MLA criticised the Mumbai Maritime Board’s reported decision to permit advertisements on barges along prominent waterfront locations. He described the proposal as a ‘ridiculous and possibly corrupt idea’ and alleged that it prioritised the interests of advertising contractors over the city and its residents.

“Sadly, with this absurd decision to support a cartel of hoarding contractors, whatever can be seen will be advertisements pasted in the faces of citizens who are already bearing the brunt of the rampant pollution on land,” Thackeray wrote.

Floating Advertisements Proposed At Key Locations

The proposed advertising locations reportedly include Juhu Beach, Lotus Jetty and the Bandra-Worli Sea Link jetty in Worli, reported Times of India. The initiative is understood to be aimed at generating additional revenue for the maritime board to support the development and maintenance of port and water transport infrastructure in Maharashtra.

Thackeray argued that Mumbai was already grappling with pollution and that the sea had become barely visible from several parts of the city, even from relatively short distances inland. He said allowing advertisements across the waterfront would further diminish the city's visual appeal.

Calls For Stricter LED Hoarding Regulations

The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader also questioned the proliferation of brightly illuminated LED hoardings across Mumbai, particularly those that inconvenience residents at night. He called for a comprehensive hoarding policy to regulate LED displays and restrict the overall number of advertisements across the city.

In a separate social media post on Wednesday, Thackeray alleged that the government was unwilling to spare even the sea from commercial advertising. He also criticised the brightness of existing LED screens and called for their numbers to be reduced.

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