Only 20 Illegal Hoardings in Pune, Claims PMC Amid Rising Safety Concerns
Pune, 28th May 2025: Despite visible violations across the city, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has claimed that only 20 hoardings are currently illegal within city limits. This figure has raised eyebrows, particularly following a recent incident of hoarding collapse on Porwal Road in Lohgaon, which narrowly avoided causing injuries or fatalities.
According to the Sky Signs and Licensing Department of PMC, these 20 illegal hoardings fall within the jurisdiction of just four assistant commissioner offices. The civic body has declared that there are no illegal hoardings under the remaining 11 zones—an assertion that contradicts ground reality, as illegal structures are visibly present on major routes such as Solapur Road, Saswad Road, Satara Road, Nagar Road, and Alandi Road.
Despite these claims, PMC has yet to take action against the remaining hoardings. This perceived inaction has triggered criticism from citizens and raised concerns about public safety. “Is the administration waiting for another tragic accident before acting?” is a question increasingly being asked.
On May 20, a hoarding collapsed on Porwal Road following a spell of rain. Fortunately, no injuries were reported. However, past incidents in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad have resulted in fatalities caused by hoarding collapses during monsoon winds. Although the civic body routinely convenes meetings with hoarding agencies and issues precautionary instructions, citizens allege that enforcement on the ground remains weak and inconsistent.
The PMC states that action was previously taken on 46 illegal hoardings across multiple zones, including Nagar Road (5), Yerawada-Kalas-Dhanori (3), Aundh-Baner (1), Ghole Road (1), Warje (1), Hadapsar-Mundhwa (9), Kondhwa-Yewalewadi (8), and Ramtekdi (18). However, civic activists argue that many complaints regarding illegal hoardings continue to go unaddressed.
Critics have also raised questions about the verification process. “Are engineers physically inspecting these hoardings, or is the administration simply relying on data provided by hoarding agencies? Where are the detailed inspection reports? Why is enforcement so inconsistent?” asked a local activist.
When contacted, Prashant Thombre, Head of the Sky Signs and Licensing Department at PMC, said, “To prevent hoarding accidents during the monsoon, a meeting was held with hoarding agencies and necessary instructions were issued. Action against illegal hoardings is underway.”
However, with monsoon season approaching, residents and civic groups are demanding more visible and proactive measures from the administration to prevent potential disasters.
