A division bench comprising justice SA Bobade and justice VK Tahilramani in the Bombay high court on Friday asked the state government to remove all traffic pedestals at busy intersections.
The bench was hearing a public interest litigation which has sought a CID inquiry into the advertisements on traffic police pedestals across the city.
After VP Patil, the petitioner’s advocate, pointed out that traffic pedestals were still present on busy roads, with some of them displaying advertisements, the bench directed the state to file an affidavit to that effect by January 18, 2012.
Filed by Khar resident Indur Chhugani, the PIL alleges that the traffic police, in connivance with civic authorities, have illegally allowed a private company to install advertisement booths at all the busy traffic intersections. Apart from claiming that the advertisements on these pedestals are sourced illegally, Chhugani has said several senior cops were involved in this advertisement racket well worth over Rs10 crore each month.
Stating that the monthly revenue generated from these advertisements goes into the pockets of the advertising firm and corrupt policemen, instead of the state government’s coffers, the PIL has alleged that the power required to light up the ad-booths is pilfered from traffic signals. It has demanded strict action against those involved in the fraud.
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