Nagpur: In a major citywide enforcement drive, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has dismantled 20,289 illegal hoardings, banners, posters, and welcome gates between January and July 2025. Municipal Commissioner Abhijeet Chaudhari detailed the crackdown in an affidavit submitted to the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court on Thursday.
Represented by counsel Sudhir Puranik, Chaudhari informed the court that Rs 1.75 lakh in penalties was recovered from offenders and 265 police complaints were registered. The affidavit was filed during the hearing of a contempt petition filed by NGO Parivartan through its President Dinesh Naidu.
Gold Rate
08 Aug 2025
Chaudhari made it clear that the 10 zonal Assistant Commissioners will be held personally accountable for any lapses in implementation. “Instructions have been issued across all zones to ensure strict compliance with court orders. Officers neglecting their duties will face disciplinary action,” he stated, citing a January 18 circular warning of punitive measures for non-compliance.
The drive is being conducted under the Maharashtra Municipal Corporations (Regulation and Control of Display of Sky-Signs and Advertisement) Rules, 2022, notified by the Urban Development Department. The civic body has also sought greater public participation through its ‘Nagpur Live’ app and online grievance portal, where citizens can report unauthorized displays. According to NMC, a large number of such complaints have already been resolved.
To maintain vigilance, the NMC has deployed daily surveillance vans and intensified the crackdown during festival seasons such as Ganesh Chaturthi, Navratri, Dhammachakra Pravartan Din, and Diwali. Coordination meetings with city police and the district administration are also being held.
Conditional festival permissions
While conditional permissions are granted for temporary structures like pandals during festivals, Chaudhari clarified that any advertisements or sky-signs displayed on them must be separately licensed.
The affidavit comes against the backdrop of a 2017 High Court order by then Justices Bhushan Dharmadhikari and Rohit Deo, which warned political parties of contempt notices for defacing public spaces with unlicensed hoardings. The court had also stressed that “mere registration of FIRs isn’t enough” and offences must be registered against political leaders and printers involved in repeated violations.
