Under pressure to take action against illegal flexes that have started mushrooming across the city, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has promised to lodge a police complaint by the end of this week.
The assurance was given after several political leaders started erecting large flex boards, which have been posing a danger to pedestrians and motorists alike.
“We have warned them about installing flexes several times in the past. Some of them have taken us for granted. Hence, we have decided to take penal action. An FIR will be lodged against the violators,” BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath said. He said the civic body will lodge a police complaint this week.
As per the high court order, no advertisement boards or flexes are allowed to be displayed in the BBMP limits. Ironically, a large number of flexes that have mushroomed belong to the elected representatives. In places such as Vijayangara and Govindarajanagar, there are over 1,000 flexes. Some of them are blocking the footpaths.
There are also complaints of illegal flexes put up in the Hebbal assembly constituency and on Ballari Road. So far, the BBMP has not taken any action, besides removing the flexes themselves.
Speaking to reporters, Girinath said the BBMP has been holding meetings to start administrative work in the newly formed 45 wards. “We will be redistributing funds that were already allocated to wards. Each ward was given Rs 6 crore to Rs 4 crore. It will be redistributed,” he said.
He also said instructions have been issued to identify a rental building in an area of 800 sqft until they build a new ward office that is not less than 2,000 sqft.
The BBMP, he said, has also written to the state government to provide additional manpower. “We need at least 45 assistant engineers and 72 assistant executive engineers."
Published 20 July 2022, 18:42 IST