Most hoardings are illegal, no lessons learnt after Ravet tragedy

''A survey found that 357 hoardings were mounted without following all norms. We have issued notices to the owners,'' Deputy Municipal Commissioner Subhash Ingale told The Indian Express.

Ravet tragedy, hoardings, Pimpri-Chinchwad, PCMC NEWS, drive against illegal hoardings, indian express news

The civic administration said that from April 20 to August 25, as many as 168 illegal hoardings have been taken down so far. (Express File Photo)

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FOUR months after the collapse of an illegal hoarding in Ravet that claimed five lives, Pimpri-Chinchwad continues to grapple with unauthorised hoardings across the length and breadth of the city. Most hoardings put up by private parties have been found to be violating norms. The civic administration has issued notices to owners of 357 hoardings, asking them as to why their hoarding should not be demolished.

”A survey found that 357 hoardings were mounted without following all norms. We have issued notices to the owners,” Deputy Municipal Commissioner Subhash Ingale told The Indian Express.

In April, five people were killed when an illegal hoarding collapsed on them while they were taking shelter from rain in a puncture shop in Ravet area. Thereupon, PCMC had launched a drive against illegal hoardings.

These hoardings, said Ingale, have not followed norms especially related to the size, distance between two hoardings, mandatory use of permission boards, and leaving a gap between two hoardings, Ingale said. ”If they have no proper explanation, their hoardings will be demolished,” Ingale said.

PCMC said in all, owners of 1,136 hoardings took a permit to set them up. “But we found that only 50-60 hoardings had complied to norms, while others are in the process,” he said.

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The civic administration said that from April 20 to August 25, as many as 168 illegal hoardings have been taken down so far. “Of these, owners of 95 hoardings themselves removed the hoardings while 73 of them were demolished by PCMC,” Ingle said.

Apart from this, Ingle said owners of 281 hoardings have gone to court after getting notices for demolition from PCMC. “Those who have gone to court have deposited more than Rs 4 crore as licence fee,” he said. Ingale said that “even the buildings on which hoardings have been mounted should ensure structural auditing of the building.”

Manoj Dattatrye More

Manoj Dattatrye More is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, having been with the publication since 1992. Based in Pune, he is a veteran journalist with a 33-year career that spans editorial desk work, investigative reporting, and political analysis. Professional Legacy Experience: He spent his first 16 years on the editorial desk before moving into active field reporting. He has written over 20,000 stories, including more than 10,000 bylined articles. Impact Journalism: He is widely respected for "campaign-style" reporting that leads to tangible social change. Road Safety: His decade-long campaign regarding the dangerous state of the Pune-Mumbai highway in Khadki resulted in a ₹23 crore reconstruction project in 2006, which dramatically reduced fatalities. Environmental Protection: His reports against tree cutting on the Pune-Mumbai and Pune-Nashik highways saved approximately 2,000 trees. Anti-Corruption: During the COVID-19 pandemic, he exposed a scam where doctors were being asked to pay bribes for government jobs, resulting in them being hired without payment. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Manoj More's recent work focuses heavily on the shifting political landscape of Maharashtra and civic governance in the Pimpri-Chinchwad area: 1. Political Shifts & Alliances "Ajit Pawar's NCP continues domination in Pune, wins 10 of 17 local bodies" (Dec 21, 2025): A major report on the local self-government election results, detailing the NCP’s stronghold in Baramati, Indapur, and Lonavala. "BJP ropes in 13 ex-corporators, deals major blow to NCP" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant political defection in Pimpri-Chinchwad as the BJP gears up for civic polls. "Congress opts for solo BMC run as alliance talks with Sena (UBT) collapse" (Dec 17, 2025): Covering the breakdown of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) talks for the Mumbai civic elections. "NCP(SP)'s Rahul Kalate, Sena (UBT) leader Sanjog Waghere set to join BJP" (Dec 19, 2025): Detailing high-profile party-hopping ahead of the municipal elections. 2. Civic & Administrative Accountability "PCMC draws ire for issuing tenders worth Rs 250 crore just before poll code" (Dec 17, 2025): An investigative piece on the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation’s last-minute spending spree before election restrictions. "93 killed in 76 accidents in five years: Bypass service roads in Pune remain undeveloped for 18 yrs" (Nov 16, 2025): A critical look at the long-delayed infrastructure projects contributing to fatalities on Pune’s bypass roads. 3. Social & Labor Issues "As state says TCS has laid off 376 employees: FITE flags figures, say nearly 2,500 were forced to quit" (Dec 11, 2025): Investigating conflicting reports regarding IT sector layoffs in Maharashtra. "Maharashtra govt move to 'downgrade' Aadhaar cards" (Nov 30, 2025): Reporting on the state’s decision to require additional documents alongside Aadhaar to combat identity misuse. Signature Beat Manoj More is the definitive voice on Pimpri-Chinchwad, an industrial hub he has covered for three decades. His reporting is characterized by its aggressive stance against local "gondaism" (thuggery) and a relentless focus on civic infrastructure—choked drains, garbage management, and public transport. X (Twitter): @manojmore91982 ... Read More

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