Subhash Jindal/Chandigarh
The Council of Engineers through Adv. HC Arora has served contempt notice to the Chief Secretary of Punjab, Additional Chief Secretary & Director of Local Government Department and Municipal Commissioner of Ludhiana for their act of fixing advertisement billboards above Carriageways (roads), very close to the Round-abouts (Rotaries), on footpaths etc. by going against directions of the Hon’ble Punjab & Haryana High Court as held in CWP-7639-1995.
Er. Kapil Arora, President informed that the Municipal Corporation, Ludhiana under the provisions of Punjab Municipal Outdoor Advertising Policy of 2018 has given contract to M/s LeafBerry Ads Private Ltd. for fixation of a specific number of different types of advertisement billboards within MC limits of Ludhiana.
Though there is no provision of Flag Shaped Billboards, the Municipal Corporation, in the name of Unipole Billboards, allowed the Company to fix Flag Shaped Luminous Billboards which are projecting over the Roads at many locations in Ludhiana. The Municipal Corporation also allowed the company to install other luminous billboards which are located very close to Round-abouts, Road Junctions, on Footpaths etc. and such billboards creating hurdles in the flow of traffic and distracting commuters.
Er. Mohit Jain informed that the Hon’ble Punjab & Haryana High Court in CWP-7639-1995 (Namit Kumar v. UT Chandigarh Administration) had issued directions to all Chief Secretaries of three Governments (Punjab/Haryana/Chandigarh) to remove all the sign Boards, hoardings, neon sign boards, advertisement boards, facing the highways, main road and the side roads/lanes.
(SUBHEAD) The Court had further directed that the State Transport Authority and the Municipal Corporation or Committee shall call upon the holder of such Boards to remove the same within 15 days. In the event of their failure to do so the State shall remove the same by its enforcement agencies.
Er. Vikas Arora informed that it is well known fact that as per IRC Code 46-1972, the distance of billboards from carriageways, Rotaries etc. is specifically mentioned and the Illuminated advertisements objectionable from the angle of traffic safety are also not allowed, however such high glossy and illuminated billboards have been allowed to be fixed over & close to the Carriageway, rotaries as well as at T-Junctions at large number of locations which are unsafe for the commuters. Despite knowing the facts about provisions of its own advertisement policy of 2018 that hoardings on roads, visible to traffic, are potential dangers to drivers, the department has permitted such billboards along the flow of traffic, resulting in distraction of commuters as well as blindness for a few seconds due to LED lighting in the hoardings.
Er. Arora added further that keeping in view the directions of Hon’ble High Court, Adv. HC Arora on behalf of CoE has served contempt notice to the Chief Secretary of Punjab & others with demand to remove all such billboards within 15 days which have been installed by going against the direction of Hon’ble High Court, failing which our Engineers body would file contempt petition against them.
