The Bombay High Court was informed on Tuesday that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has taken substantial steps to address the issue of illegal flags and banners in the city. In the first 45 days of the year, the BMC sent 194 letters to the police, leading to the registration of 22 FIRs against those responsible for these violations. Additionally, the civic body initiated 125 prosecutions for similar infractions.
This update came as the BMC responded to the high court’s request for an affidavit detailing its process for acknowledging and acting on complaints regarding illegally raised flags in public spaces. The disclosure was part of a court hearing involving a plea by Mumbai resident Haresh Gaglani, who has been challenging the BMC’s prolonged inaction regarding unauthorized flags within his housing society since November 2023.
The BMC’s affidavit highlighted multiple channels through which citizens can report illegal hoardings and flags. These include a dedicated X (formerly Twitter) handle for each of the city’s 24 wards, the BMC web portal, a toll-free helpline (1916), and direct messages to officers via WhatsApp. It was noted that an officer is assigned to each ward to conduct both morning and evening patrols, logging complaints in a register maintained for this purpose.
Justice Revati Mohite-Dere and Justice Dr. Meela Gokhale, who presided over the hearing, learned that these measures are part of BMC’s enforcement of the Maharashtra Prevention of Defacement of Property Act, 1995. The act seeks to prevent defacement which includes unauthorized flags and banners that can clutter public spaces and potentially lead to visual pollution.
