BMC to pull down illegal hoardings across the city in 24 hrs

Move prompted by row over removal of banners welcoming President

MUMBAI: Mumbai’s skyline will soon look a little better. And we have president Pratibha Patil to thank for it, albeit indirectly.

For, it was a row over the hoardings put up to welcome her that led the BMC to decide to pull down all illegal hoardings and banners that deface the city’s skyscape.

The decision was taken at the BMC standing committee meeting on Wednesday following high drama over the corporation removing hoardings erected by Congress leaders welcoming Patil on her visit to Mumbai.

The president is arriving on Thursday to open a health centre and launch the FM channel of the University of Mumbai on Friday.

Claiming that the hoardings and banners welcoming her were erected without permission, the BMC, in a two-hour operation on Wednesday, pulled down at least 125 of them on the stretch from Santacruz to Marine Drive.

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena leader Rajendra Lad objected to this alleging that the Shiv Sena-BJP-led BMC undertook the drive to insult the ‘Marathi’ president, a claim the former denied. The Congress supported Lad.

After Congress leader Rajhans Singh asked whether the civic administration had the will to pull  down other illegal political hoardings, additional municipal commissioner RA Rajeev called for a consensus on the issue. Shiv Sena leader Sunil Prabhu demanded the removal of illegal hoardings and banners within the next 24 hours.

Standing committee chairman Ravindra Waikar directed the administration to act on Prabhu’s demand. Rajeev said most hoardings would be pulled down by Thursday morning.