The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has ignored the rapid increase in commercial hoardings at 14 listed heritage precincts across the city. This despite strict  guidelines by the government-appointed Mumbai Heritage Conservation Committee (MHCC) and orders by both Supreme Court and Bombay High Court asking the civic body to protect heritage
 
MUMBAI: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is turning a blind eye to the commercial exploiting of the city’s heritage. In a violation of a Supreme Court order civic authorities have neglected the rapid growth of commercial hoardings at 14 listed heritage precincts across the city.
 
Taking a serious note of the violation, the state-appointed Mumbai Heritage Conservation Committee (MHCC) has drafted a notice to the civic administration this week.
 
The committee has alleged that despite the committee and the court’s instruction to remove all hoardings at precinct sites like the Mahalaxmi precinct, the BMC has allowed them to stay.
 
In its notice, the committee has also  demanded action against the ward officers/staff who have allowed hoardings to stay in violation of MHCC-approved guidelines and a Bombay High Court order.
 
MHCC Chairman SP Upasani said, “The superintendent of licenses had earlier said that the hearing from the municipal commissioner was yet to be given in pending cases of hoardings in the precinct areas, and action could be taken on the illegal hoardings owners based on the outcome of the same. But it is understood that on the pretext of the hearing, hoardings have been retained in some cases.” Civic activists allege that even the declaration of the 15th precinct of the city, Marine Drive, is being delayed so that hoarding owners can have a field day in the area.
 
The proposal to declare the drive as a precinct has been pending for the last seven years. “For seven long years, hoarding owners kept defacing the drive and nobody did anything. And now they have even allowed mobile hoardings at the drive, worsening the situation. Somebody will have to take responsibility for this incalculable loss caused to the city’s heritage,” said civic activist Gerson da Cunha.

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