Pune: Illegal Hoardings Demolished Near Sambhaji Police Station; PMC Cracks Down On Violators

Pune, 5th March 2025: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) took decisive action against illegal hoardings erected in the city’s central area. Acting on orders from senior officials, the civic body demolished the massive hoardings at 4 am on Monday, sending a strong message against unauthorized advertisements.

As per Maharashtra’s 2022 advertising policy, hoardings cannot be installed on government land or in riverbeds. However, three large hoardings were illegally placed behind the Sambhaji Police Station at Tilak Chowk, defying regulations. These hoardings had previously been dismantled following a court order, but a local businessman reinstated them, arguing that PMC had not officially canceled his permit.

When municipal staff attempted to halt the illegal construction, they faced intimidation and were forcefully removed from the site. The hoarding operator even threatened them, stating, “I wouldn’t stop even if the commissioner himself came.” A video of this incident went viral, prompting authorities to take swift action.

Upon investigating the case, senior PMC officials discovered that negligence by the Kasba Vishrambaug Ward Office had allowed the illegal hoardings to be reinstalled. A thorough examination of documents, along with legal consultation, revealed that the permits for these hoardings had expired months ago. Following this, Municipal Commissioner Dr. Rajendra Bhosale and Additional Commissioner Prithviraj BP ordered the PMC’s Sky Sign Department to remove the structures using cranes in the early hours of the morning.

Each of the three hoardings contained approximately two tons of iron, totaling six tons. Despite previous demolitions, the iron frames were not seized or disposed of, allowing the violator to reuse the same materials to rebuild the hoardings. Former municipal commissioners had instructed authorities to confiscate the materials, but the directive was ignored. Now, residents and officials insist that the administration must seize the hoarding structures to prevent further violations.

Speaking on the action, PMC’s Sky Sign Department Deputy Commissioner Prashant Thombre confirmed, “After verifying the documents, Pune Municipal Corporation has demolished the hoardings erected in the riverbed early this morning.”