Mumbai: Illegal posters deface Malad Metro line pillars

The 150-200m stretch in Malad is replete with illegal advertisements and banners

While the Dahisar-DN Nagar Metro Line 2A corridor is under construction, the issue of illegal advertisements and posters has cropped up for the Metro authorities. The 150-200m stretch in Malad is replete with illegal advertisements and banners.

The posters carry images of Shiv Sena leaders, as sponsored by Rushabh Diagnostic/Dialysis and Eye Care Centre, along with the centre's numbers. After calling one of the numbers mentioned on the poster, a woman said, "I cannot comment anything on the issue, as the number mentioned on the poster is of the lab."

Locals are of the opinion that the authorities should take action against the people responsible. "With so many Metro projects and flyovers coming up in Mumbai, the focus of the agencies implementing the project should be on developing vertical gardens using the pillars," said Dr Hubert Shu. "It will not only help in reducing air pollution, but will also look good. It's sad that so many illegal posters have been pasted on the pillars of the under-construction Dahisar-DN Nagar Metro Line 2A. The authorities should take action against this and penalise the people responsible." MMRDA joint project director Dilip Kawatkar said, "We will verify the details and take appropriate action against those responsible for pasting the illegal stickers and banners."

MMRDA has been facing this issue over the past couple of years. Mainly during festivals, illegal stickers are pasted on Monorail pillars in Wadala, Lalbaug and Parel. Removing these stickers is also a daunting task as the glue used is so strong that the they do not come off easily.

However, the Metro Railways Act, 2002, states that sticking of posters and banners on Metro premises is an offence, punishable with six months of imprisonment or a fine of Rs 1,000. In 2015, 71 people, including shopkeepers and members of political parties, were served with a notice by authorities for sticking posters and banners on the pillars of Versova-Ghatkopar Metro Line 1. About 28 police complaints were filed after offenders ignored the notices.

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