Palike to launch drive to rid BMTC bus stops of illegal hoardings

Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike ( BBMP) now says it is gearing up for a drive to remove the illegal hoardings put up on bus shelters across the City. Also on the Palike’s eviction agenda are the illegal shelters.

BBMP sources told Deccan Herald that the drive is likely to start on August 1 and will last until all the illegal hoardings and bus shelters are cleared. “We have been getting complaints from the public about unauthorised hoardings and flex banners put up on bus shelters as well about illegal shelters. This drive will clear all these, and action will be taken against the erring individuals,” said an official on conditions of anonymity.

Palike administrator T M Vijaya Bhaskar said that the locations of the shelters with illegal hoardings and illegal shelters have already been identified. The concerned engineers of the respective wards have been informed about the same. “The High Court had also earlier instructed us to take note of such unauthorised shelters. We have been taking the action in the past and will continue to do so in the coming days,” he said.

The High Court had on July 8 instructed the civic agency to clear the illegal shelters from footpaths in CV Raman Nagar. This followed a hearing on a petition filed by Anand Kumar. 

CV Raman Nagar MLA S Raghu had this to say on the issue: “We have constructed 22 bus shelters in the last seven years under 'Namma Bengaluru Nanna Koduge' without taking a penny from the Palike. The petitioner has misguided the Court as the shelters have been built as per the norms and with good intention. The allegations have been labelled against me as BBMP elections are round the corner.” He said he would take the next course of action once he received the notice from the Court.