Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde Fined Rs 300 For No-Show In Court In Assault Case

Mumbai's Municipal Corporation will launch a crackdown on illegal posters, banners, and hoardings starting September 25, following Ganeshotsav, according to Mayor Ritu Tawde's announcement. The campaign aims to address the issue of unauthorised publicity material defacing key infrastructure such as bridges, flyovers, and monorail pillars. Tawde has called for legal action and substantial fines against those involved in the unauthorized promotion.

The Mayor emphasized the need for accountability, aiming to extend it to individuals and organizations benefiting from illegal publicity. She plans to seek Mayor Ashwini Bhide's review of provisions to register cases and levy significant fines on those featured in such material. The department expects to remove 15,000–20,000 unauthorized hoardings annually, with approximately 45% of these linked to birthday wishes for political leaders or festive celebrations.

Currently, the civic body removes around 15,000 to 20,000 unauthorized hoardings each year, with nearly 45% of these being associated with birthday greetings for political figures or festive events. Tawde stressed that merely removing the stickers is insufficient, as they often leave marks on public structures even after civic workers strip them off. The initiative is set to commence after Ganeshotsav, highlighting the urgency to tackle the ongoing defacement of public infrastructure.