BMC issues notices to shop owners in Vile Parle for displaying illuminated boards of their shop name
Mumbai : A shop owners’ association from Vile Parle has alleged that BMC ward officials are ‘harassing’ shop owners by mislabelling a shop name sign board as an illuminated advertisement and ‘rampantly’ issuing them official warning notices.
The BMC claims that illuminated shop name boards qualify as advertisements under sections 328/328A of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act, hence the notices, and shop owners differ.
These sections prescribe written permission from BMC for erecting a ‘sky-sign’. A ‘sky-sign’ is any word, letter or sign attached to a framework.
In a letter written to the K ward, Vile Parle Building Material Welfare Association said putting up shop name boards is a compulsory requirement under the Shop and Establishment Act.
Vinod Gada, president of the association, said, “They are deliberately fining us to extort money. Without a name, the shop loses its identity. We illuminate the boards to increase visibility at night. How can the BMC label them illuminated advertisements?”
K ward sent notices to 50 shop-owners of the area in July.
In the notice issued by the ward office, shop owners are directed to apply for licenses from civic body’s license department and the traffic police. The owners are required to produce these documents within 7 days of receiving the notice.
Congress corporator Pravin Chheda defended the shop owners in a recent standing committee meeting and demanded that BMC should put an end to the harassment.
