Day before model code, civic bodies remove ‘illegal’ posters

The South Municipal Corporation has removed more than 2,000 illegal hoardings in the capital. Earlier, the North Municipal Corporation had removed more than 800 illegal hoardings in its six zones under the Delhi Prevention of Defacement of Property Act, 2007. These include religious, political and commercial hoardings and billboards. 

Speaking to Newsline, Chairman of Standing Committee, South corporation, Satish Upadhyay, said, “The illegal hoardings were mostly religious and congratulatory messages from political parties.” 

The chairman said all parties had put up hoardings illegally and they have been removed by officials of the south civic body. 

Additionally, the civic bodies have also advised political parties to abstain from putting up hoardings without bringing it to the notice of the corporation. Upadhyay clarified that all such hoardings and billboards, which are not authorised by the corporation, are labelled “illegal”. 

According to the advertisement department of South corporation, the civic body had organised special drives with the help of zonal authorities for the removal of illegal hoardings, “political or otherwise”, in areas that fall under its jurisdiction. 

The removal of hoardings was started in January and has been initiated by all three corporations. 

Deputy Commissioners of all zones have been directed to ensure that their respective zones be free of illegal hoardings as they are being put up without any due payment to the corporation.