Rahul's Mumbai visit: Will BMC crack the whip after Congress flouts rules to put up hoardings?

Mumbai: Maharashtra is facing one of its worst droughts in the last four decades. But the Congress remains unfazed, as it pulled out all the stops for a red-carpet welcome to party Vice President Rahul Gandhi during his day-long trip to Mumbai.

A day after CNN-IBN reported about illegal hoardings which had been put up on electric boxes across the city, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) hasn't removed them as yet. All the hoardings which have been put up on residential buildings and trees are a clear violation of the civic rules. The civic commissioner in his budget speech too had promised to make the city hoarding-free but as evident, little has been done so far.

Despite repeated attempts, civic commissioner Sitaram Kunte refused to speak to us. Section 328 and 328 A of the Mumbai Municipal Act states:

Section 328 and 328 A of the Mumbai Municipal Act states that licences have to be obtained from the BMC before putting up hoardings.

- Licences have to be obtained from the BMC before putting up hoardings in the city.

- A no-objection certificate is required from the traffic department and fire brigade.

- No hoardings at traffic signals, arterial roads, open spaces and heritage buildings.

While activists have slammed the party for flouting the civic rules, the Mumbai Congress maintains that the supporters had put up the hoardings to greet their leader.

The big question remains whether the BMC will crack the whip.

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