Locals fear more billboard crashes

LUCKNOW: A day after a massive unipole billboard fell over a four-wheeler on Shaheed Path, killing two persons, including a child, the Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) and the Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) woke up on Tuesday and identified that nearly one-third of hoardings do not comply with norms and about 130 were illegally installed.
People blamed civic agencies for not pre-emptive action and reacting only after a tragedy occurred.They pointed out that dozens of hoardings were uprooted or collapsed during the thunderstorm on May 27, including one in Lalbagh that fell on a house, but still authorities concerned failed to initiate any action.
Now, after Monday's tragedy, the LMC, during a quick survey of its records on legally set up hoardings, found that of the total 1,521 billboards installed by various advertising agencies in the city, no structural engineering reports (a certificate of safety and durability) have been submitted for 525. “We have taken cognizance of the lapse and issued notices to advertising agencies, which had put up these hoardings, to comply with norms as early as possible, failing which action will be taken against them,” said Abhay Pandey, additional municipal commissioner. LDA in its rapid survey found 130 plot/house owners had installed hoarding or given permission to advertising agencies to put up billboards on their properties without proper sanction from the civic agencies. “We have issued a show-cause notice to all the plot/house owners for violating guidelines and will take necessary action as per law once they submit their reply,” said LDA vice-chairperson Indramani Tripathi.
However, people are not satisfied. TOI reality check on Tuesday also found a number of precarious hoardings installed across the city on rooftops of buildings, intersections and roadsides with locals fearing that an accident can take place in their locality if action is not taken.
Girija Dwivedi (46), who has a shop directly under a hoarding on a unipole on Park Road, Hazratganj said, “There have been really strong winds for the past few days. I have been in constant fear since the Ekana incident. I hope the authorities take notice of the condition and maintain them before a tragedy occurs.”
Anil Rastogi (42), a small business owner of Chandganj, said, “The hoarding close to my shop is almost 20 years old and there has been no inspection of its condition for the past several years.”
(Inputs by Anjanaya Singh and Ashmita Maria)