Mumbai, August 19, 2026: The BMC is stepping up its campaign to enforce Marathi on shop signboards, with inspections of prominent establishments, shopping malls and shopping centres planned across Mumbai in the second phase. Shops and commercial units found violating the Marathi signage rules will face strict action, civic officials said.
Enforcement Drive Intensified
The civic body resumed enforcement against establishments without Marathi signboards in June. To review the action taken over the past two and a half months, Law Committee chairperson Diksha Karkar recently held a meeting with civic officials, following which the BMC decided to intensify enforcement.
In the first phase, between May 14 and June 4, 2026, the BMC inspected 36,773 establishments. Inspection reports were prepared in 1,124 cases, while court proceedings were initiated against 638 establishments.
Of these 1,124 cases, 343 establishments sought to settle the violations, with 190 paying fines totalling Rs 12.23 lakh. Proceedings in the remaining 143 cases are at the final stage, officials said.
Key Roads To Be Reinspected
At a joint meeting chaired by Law Committee chairperson Diksha Karkar on August 13, the BMC decided to intensify enforcement. Markets, shops and establishments along S.V. Road, L.B.S. Road, Link Road and both sides of the Eastern and Western Express Highways will be reinspected.
It has also directed that establishments in each ward found violating the rules in the previous phase be subjected to stringent legal action, with the action publicised, said an official.
Marathi Signage Rules
In January 2022, the state government amended the 2017 Act, making it mandatory for establishments with fewer than 10 employees to display signboards in Marathi as well, with the Marathi lettering in the same font size as other languages.
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The Supreme Court’s deadline for shops and establishments to install Marathi signboards in Devanagari script expired on November 25, 2023. Mumbai has around five lakh shops and establishments, and those continuing to violate the rule can face a penalty of Rs 2,000 per day.
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