After techie's death, Chennai civic body to deploy patrol vehicles to dismantle illegal hoardings, launches helpline to report unlawful banners

Chennai: Facing flak over the death of a woman techie, run over by a water tanker after an illegal hoarding put up by an AIADMK functionary crashed down on her, the Chennai Corporation on Saturday said patrol vehicles would be deployed to dismantle such hoardings in all the zones. [caption id=“attachment_7341101” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representative image. News18[/caption] Also, the licenses of firms that print illegal banners or hoardings would be canceled and their manufacturing units sealed, the corporation said. Putting up such materials was illegal, the civic body said, adding that legal action, envisaging a one-year prison term or a Rs 5,000 fine or both would be slapped against those who install banners or hoardings. So far, 3,964 banners have been removed and 245 cases registered, the Corporation said. A review meeting chaired by the Corporation Commissioner G Prakash decided to deploy one patrol vehicle with immediate effect in each of the three regions of north, south and central in the city. Each region comprises five corporation zones and the initiative would be implemented in association with local police. “Three vehicles will be on patrol to remove hoardings and banners put up illegally in the north, central and south zones,” Prakash said after deliberating with officials on illegal hoardings. To lodge complaints against banners and hoardings, people may call 9445190205 (north), 9445190698 (central) and 9445194802 (south) zones, he said. On receiving information, the patrol teams would reach the respective areas, click pictures and record videos of the illegal banners or flex-boards for legal action and then dismantle them immediately, he said. The development follows the death of the 23-year-old woman techie on 12 September who was run over by a tanker here after an illegal hoarding fell on her. Hearing a plea related to the woman’s death, the Madras High Court had on Friday pulled up the authorities for their inaction against illegal hoardings. On 19 December 19, 2018, the Madras High Court had in an interim directive restrained all political parties from putting up banners across Tamil Nadu and hoardings within the Chennai Corporation area. A corporation official said over 3,000 illegal banners have been removed and 245 cases have been filed in recent times.