In response to a Right to Information (RTI) Act 2005 application made by this correspondent, it was discovered that the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) has registered police complaints against the defacement of four Western Express Highway flyovers Kalina-Vakola, Dattapada, Aarey and JVLR on July 14 and 15, 2005. The MSRDC is in charge of the construction and maintenance of most of the citys flyovers.
Going by their records, this is the only defacement Mumbais flyovers have seen since 1996!
No action
In its complaint letters, MSRDC fails to name any individual or political party responsible for the defacements, thus making it virtually impossible for any action to be taken.
Nor does MSRDC know if the police has acted on the complaints. The Vakola, Kasturba Marg, Goregaon and Aarey police stations where the complaints have been made were unaware if any action has been taken.
Bipin Bihari, additional commissioner of police (Western suburbs), said, Writing letters is not enough, it is their property and they should protect it.
However, according to Mahimtura consultants the firm MSRDC has outsourced flyover maintenance to When we approach the cops, they refuse to register our complaints, citing our problems is not important enough.
Punish offenders
NGOs and individuals MiD DAY contacted blasted the MSRDC for its aloof attitude. These political banners are everywhere, said Rajkumar Sharma of Action for Good Governance and Networking in India (AGNI).
Officials simply do not have the spine to take on their political bosses and remove these hoardings, he added. Urban planner Neera Adarkar said, Its not possible that defacement has occurred only on two days in so many years. MSRDC must punish these offenders.   Aarey flyover: This is heaven for political parties. Their hoardings hang out on the walls under the flyover Vakola flyover: Religious groups have put up small posters on the walls under the flyover. Messages related to everything from buying bean bags to joining political parities are scribbled on it   JVLR flyover: This flyover in Jogeshwari is plagued by advertisements at the approach Dattapada flyover: The situation at this Borivli flyover is similar to what we found at JVLR Legal provision
Defacements in the form of unauthorised posters, slogans, advertisements, banners of flyovers/ bridges/ subways/ properties belonging to MSRDC are prohibited under the Maharashtra Prevention of Defacement of Property Act 1995.
On conviction, the culprit can be imprisoned for three months or be fined up to Rs 2,000 or both.
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