Shimla (Vijyender Sharma)
The High Court of Himachal Pradesh, today in a matter pertaining to displaying hoarding/advertisements on the Heritage Zone, has directed the Municipal Corporation, Shimla to forthwith remove the hoardings/ advertisements displayed from the Rashtrapati Bhawan to Chhota Shimla, including the Ridge and Mall Road. The M.C. Shimla has been further directed to report the compliance of the Court’s order by tomorrow.
A Division Bench comprising Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan and Justice Chander Bhusan Barowalia, passed these orders on a petition filed by one Shri Anil Kumar. The petitioner has alleged that Bhartiya Janta Party has displayed its hoardings from the Rashtrapati Bhawan to Chhota Shimla, including the Ridge and Mall Road Mall Road.
The petitioner has alleged that more than 50 hoardings have been installed/displayed on this heritage zone. It has been also alleged that permission for government hoarding has been given erroneously as the size of government hoardings is more than prescribed. It has been further alleged that the respondents have permitted the political parties to install their hoardings in complete violation of guidelines issued vide notification in the year 2007, which provides that no advertisement/hoarding shall be allowed in the Heritage Zone especially on the stretches of road i.e. Mall Road starting from Rashtrapati Bhawan to Chhota Shimla including Ridge on the one side upto Regal Building (Lakkar Bazar) and on the other side along Ridge road to Mall via Rani Jhansi Park and U.S. Club road upto U.S Club Gate.
The petitioner has prayed that respondents may be directed to strictly adhere to the guidelines relating to affixing of advertisement hoarding within the limits of M.C. Shimla in compliance of this High Court order dated 27.08.2007, passed on Writ Petition titled as Rajesh Kumar versus State of H.P and others. The petitioner has further prayed that the respondents may be directed register appropriate proceedings under MC Act against Bhartiya Janta Party.
The matter has been listed for tomorrow i.e. 10.05.2022.