PMC intensifies drive against illegal hoardings and banners

Patna: Patna continues to grapple with the unauthorised installation of posters and banners across public spaces, a practice that mars architectural features and disrupts ongoing beautification efforts. Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) has stepped up daily removal operations across all six administrative circles, deploying water jetting sprays to clear walls and public structures. Financial penalties have also been introduced to deter people and organisations responsible for such installations.To preserve the city’s urban landscape, PMC has deployed around 17 water jetting machines across its six circles. The allocation includes three machines in the New Capital circle, two each in Azimabaad and Bankipur, three in Patliputra, two in Patna City, five in Kankarbagh and one additional machine in Bairiya, though it does not fall under a designated PMC circle. Each machine operates with a two-member team comprising a driver and an operator who uses high-pressure sprays to remove illegal advertisements and restore affected surfaces.The civic body announced a broader crackdown targeting large-scale illegal hoardings. Using scientific mapping techniques to identify unauthorised structures, PMC removed 15 unipoles along with numerous banners in key locations, including Digha, Pahari, Anisabad, Chitkohra and the Bypass.Municipal commissioner Yashpal Meena said, “Disfiguring the city’s appearance and ignoring regulations will not be tolerated under any circumstances.” He added that repeat offenders would face stringent action under the Public Demands Recovery (PDR) Act in addition to FIRs.PMC spokesperson Priya Saurabh said, “The people who are sticking such posters are doing so extremely late at night or in the wee hours of the morning, which is why most of them are not caught; however, the ones that are caught are warned off because they put up a fight when asked to pay a fine. Until now, in all the circles of the municipal corporation, approximately 1500 people have been warned against sticking such banners and posters on walls.”Explaining the need for specialised equipment, additional municipal commissioner Rajan Sinha said, “Jetting machines are used proactively by our teams as the glue people used to put up such banners is harsh, and until high-speed jets are used, it does not clear the walls.”To reduce disruption in busy commercial areas, PMC has extended operations into the night. These drives focus on dismantling large unipoles and hoardings in congested zones, enabling swift clearance while minimising interference with daytime traffic.