Mumbai: Mumbai suburban guardian minister Ashish Shelar on Wednesday waded into the controversy over plans to erect 35 LED hoardings along the Carter Road promenade, saying the area fell with the Coastal Regulation Zone and the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority had not given any permission to erect hoardings for commercial purposes.
“I had a meeting with officers of the BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, traffic police, the suburban collectorate and the Maharashtra Maritime Board which initiated the tender (for erection of hoardings), and directed them to stay the process immediately,” Shelar told reporters.
Permission to erect hoardings along the promenade must not be granted without knowing if there is any such provision in the development plan, Shelar said after meeting concerned residents.
As reported by HT on February 11, residents were outraged when they saw poles and frames for the hoardings being erected along the 1.2-km promenade, a cherished public space where they walk, jog, linger and gather for community activities.
The move was aimed at commercialisation and would destroy the very character of the area, they claimed, and urged the BMC to immediately halt the installation. The BMC later claimed it had issued a licence for the hoardings only after receiving a no objection certificate from the Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB) while state ports development minister Nitesh Rane said the MMB had not issued any NOC.
After meeting concerned residents on Wednesday, Shelar said he had received many complaints regarding commercial utilisation of Carter Road and installation of hoardings along the promenade.
“I have gone through complaints of citizens and directed officers from the BMC and the MMB to submit a report on the installation of poles and maintenance of the promenade,” he said. “I have also asked them to check if there is any provision in the development plan allowing hoardings.”
The tender to erect the hoardings had been awarded in 2020, and he had asked officials to check what will happen if it becomes inoperative due to lack of permissions, Shelar said.
Antim Maheshwari, who was awarded the tender, refused to comment on the issue.
Patricia Nath, president of the Bandra West Residents Association said citizens had built the Carter Road promenade and looked after it for more than two decades till its upkeep was transferred from the MMB to the BMC.
“Deep holes for the hoardings have been dug along the promenade. We met Shelar and briefed him about our concerts,” Nath said.