Unauthorised flex and banner installation: High Court slams govt, BBMP

Bengaluru : The High Court, which has warned the state government and BBMP not to take the issue of illegal hoarding and flex installation in the city lightly, has expressed dissatisfaction that the proposed new bye-law to penalize those who illegally put up bill-boards in public places does not seem to include it. While hearing a public interest litigation filed suo motu by the High Court regarding the menace of unauthorized flex and hoarding in Bengaluru, a division bench headed by Chief Justice NV Anjaria ex-pressed dissatisfaction with the performance of the government and BBMP.

The unauthorized installation of flex, banners or hoardings not only causes traffic congestion but also causes immense inconvenience to the public. Therefore, the court adjourned the hearing to January 16, 2025, asking the government and BBMP to give a proper answer on the fine amount for those who put up unauthorized flexes and banners during the next hearing. Earlier, the bench responded and said that a PIL was filed in 2017 seeking control over the installation of illegal advertisements.

After conducting a lengthy hearing on them, the High Court has given several direc-tions to control the unauthorized flexes, banners or hoardings that are spoiling the beauty of Bengaluru. However, their prevalence in the city has exceeded the limit. Il-legal installation of billboards in Bengaluru is a very important problem and has been causing trouble to all city residents for many years.

However, they have not woken up, and the proposed Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (Advertisement) Bye-law-2024 has no provision for punishing those who put up illegal advertisements.

Bye-law 15(1)(iii) of the proposed Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (Advertisement) Bye-law 2024 states that illegal flexes, banners or hoardings on private and public properties shall be removed and the owners thereof shall be fined.

However, the court objected that the quantum of fine for those who put up illegal hoardings, flexes on public places, footpaths, public roads and other places, despite the court having ex-pressed dissatisfaction over this aspect earlier, has not been fixed.