Hoardings take up highways, put motorists at risk

  • | Thursday | 18th October, 2018

The assistant engineer of the highways department in charge of the GST Road stretch was not available for comment. CHENNAI: The menace of hoardings is back in the city and this time, on the highways. We wrote to the national highways department seeking details of action taken by them on the violation. Yet they do not take action," he said.The central government had sent a notice to the highways department, a few months ago, threatening to withdraw all the grants and funds if action against illegal hoardings was not initiated. "Hoardings on illegal bus shelters were on the rise.

CHENNAI: The menace of hoardings is back in the city and this time, on the highways. On Wednesday, motorists travelling from Tambaram to Maduravoyal on GST Road were troubled by several political hoardings and cut outs of former chief minister J Jayalalithaa.The hoardings set up by AIADMK cadres for celebrating the party's 47th anniversary, comes weeks after hoardings encroached road space during the MGR centenary function. The violation had claimed a youth's life in Coimbatore during the MGR centenary celebration in January.David Manohar, a Chromepet resident and civic activist said, "There are several hoardings put up across the highway, which is a major violation. It obstructs traffic and is a threat to commuters. The highway up to Chengalpet and beyond is dotted with these hoardings. Several pavements and newly laid roads have been damaged," he said. "In several locations, the hoardings block road signs and traffic directions," said M Karthik, a commuter.K Kathirmathiyon, a civic activist who has filed several cases against illegal hoardings in the past said the district collector, corporation commissioners and the highways department have done little to stop the menace. "Hoardings on illegal bus shelters were on the rise. We wrote to the national highways department seeking details of action taken by them on the violation. In their replies, the department has always maintained that they did not permit the hoardings, which only reiterates that the hoarding are illegal and that they are aware of them. Yet they do not take action," he said.The central government had sent a notice to the highways department, a few months ago, threatening to withdraw all the grants and funds if action against illegal hoardings was not initiated. As per norms, on both state and national highways road, hoardings or advertisement boards cannot be set up as they block the right of way of the commuters.David said unless an IAS officer or a politician is made accountable by court, this menace will not stop. The assistant engineer of the highways department in charge of the GST Road stretch was not available for comment.

If You Like This Story, Support NYOOOZ

NYOOOZ SUPPORTER

NYOOOZ FRIEND

Your support to NYOOOZ will help us to continue create and publish news for and from smaller cities, which also need equal voice as much as citizens living in bigger cities have through mainstream media organizations.


Stay updated with all the Coimbatore Latest News headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.

Related Articles