Secunderabad Cantonment Halts Implementation of Hoarding Policy Amid HC Challenge

Hyderabad: The new policy against illegal and dangerous hoardings in the Secunderabad cantonment, which was to come into effect on July 1, has not been implemented yet after some residents and businesses approached the High Court against it.

Under the policy, all hoardings were to be brought down by June 30 and the new ones put up only after the building stability was assessed and tax levied. In case of private sites or buildings, a no-objection certificate had to be obtained and submitted, along with a sanctioned plan of the building.

Residents who earned rent from leasing space to the hoardings and businesses that put up these hoardings were left disappointed. "We were upset at first about taxation but offered to pay the sum. But the stringent guidelines neither benefit the board in earning good revenue not does it help us," said Bhaskera R., a resident. A group has filed a writ petition in the Telangana High Court, highlighting their grievances.

Madhukar Naik D., CEO of the Secunderabad Cantonment Board, explained: "Many who have rooftop hoardings have approached the court but we stand by our belief that public safety is important and revenue is secondary. The court has now asked us to file a counter affidavit by next week. No action has been taken up on penalising offenders yet."

Naik said the new policy was drafted after two mishaps involving the hoardings in March. "In one case, the iron frame of a hoarding had uprooted the concrete grouting holding the frame, due to the strong wind. In another, a hoarding had almost fallen down and landed on the side of the building. To avoid such incidents, this policy enfoces strict structural integrity of the advertisement hoardings," he said.

According to an SCB official, normally a flex tends to easily tear or fall off during a slightly stronger breeze. "To prevent that, they add up many layers to hold it in place, it almost becomes a solid wall, posing great danger to the surroundings," he added.

The board is now working on filing the counter affidavit following which, the court will decide on the future of the new policy and hoardings in the area.