Pune: PMC Identifies 88 Unauthorised Hoardings, Removes 24 So Far

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has identified 88 unauthorised hoardings within the jurisdiction of four regional offices and has already removed 24 of them. The initiative comes as part of the efforts by the civic body to ensure public safety during the monsoon.

The action was initiated following an order from the Municipal Commissioner, who directed all regional offices to immediately remove unauthorised hoardings and submit a detailed report. According to official data, there are currently 2,640 legal hoardings approved by the PMC across the city. However, a preliminary report submitted by 14 regional offices surprisingly claimed there were only 24 unauthorised hoardings in total.

The numbers prompted the Commissioner to appoint a special inspection team. The team identified inconsistencies, particularly in the Nagar Road–Vadgaonsheri Regional Office, where only seven hoardings had been reported, but the inspection revealed as many as 35 unauthorised structures. The revelations pointed to internal negligence and corruption between officials and advertisers.

As a result, disciplinary action was swiftly taken. A senior clerk from the Nagar Road–Vadgaonsheri office was suspended for submitting false information, while a junior clerk faced a salary increment freeze. Similar investigations and actions were initiated in other regional offices as well.

Out of the total 88 unauthorised hoardings identified across Nagar Road–Vadgaonsheri, Hadapsar–Mundhwa, Wanawadi–Ramtekdi, and Yerawada, Kalas, Dhanori regional offices, the PMC has successfully removed 24. The Sky Signs and Licensing Department carried out the removal operations, although two cases remain under dispute.

Speaking to The Free Press Journal, Additional Municipal Commissioner Prithviraj BP said, "The corporation is committed to rooting out unauthorised advertising boards and holding accountable any officials who attempt to mislead the administration. The crackdown is expected to continue as the civic body intensifies its scrutiny of illegal hoardings and strengthens internal checks to prevent further violations."