News courtesy-The Hindu
Authorities reluctant to take action even against illegal ones
2,500 official hoardings, 800 or more unofficial
Politico-bureaucratic-lobbyist nexus behind violations
HYDERABAD: ‘Hoarding free city' is likely to be a mirage considering the powers that be and GHMC either unable to or buckling under pressure in taking action even against illegal ones.
Official count claims there are 2,500 hoardings and unofficially, it is accepted there could be close to 800 or more. Advertisement fee has been collected for 2,239 for the current financial year for official ones.
Illegal hoardings are not necessarily in the suburbs but right in the heart of the city, admit senior officials. Removing them will not only attract court cases but a vilification campaign against the officers concerned and pressure from the politico-bureaucratic-lobbyist nexus.
A careful watch on the so-called legal ones too reveals large scale irregularities. Senior officials say most hoardings have violated the prescribed sizes wilfully. It is also done for lit/unlit ones because of price difference. Many others like the uni-poles, air space of footpaths and main roads is violated brazenly.
Actually, it was much worse till an advertisement policy was formulated few years ago when it was a free for all with the municipal corporation having no clue either about the number or sizes of hoardings/uni-poles/signboards as the agencies raked in the moolah.
It took a couple of tragic incidents of two lives being lost when an uni-pole/signboard fell on innocent bystanders that the civic body was forced to act with sufficient nudging by the High Court. Yet, things are not in order because of the high stakes involved.
“It's easy money because all you need is a vantage space ,” senior officials say. Before the elected body came, some of the huge road signages/hoardings seen were liberally handed over through nomination without a public auction. Besides spoiling the sky space, it deprived ad tax and fee to GHMC. “Revenue from these sources could easily touch Rs. 50 crore if auctions are held,” affirm senior officials. Another headache is different Government departments giving permissions to signboards in their premises, roadsides, margins, etc., with the civic body having no clue. Huge steel gantries erected on main corridors of Begumpet to Jubilee Hills check post for new traffic lights system too have happily violated the prescribed heights .
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