Carter Road waterfront spared as state scraps 35 LED hoardings plan

Hoarding material allegedly dumped along the rocky shoreline beside Carter Road Promenade after work on the project was halted. Pics/By Special Arrangement

A week after residents protested against 35 LED hoardings planned along Carter Road Promenade, the Maharashtra government has cancelled the project. Ports and Fisheries Minister Nitesh Rane said the Maharashtra Maritime Board has been instructed to halt the work immediately and remove all construction material from the site.

Residents gather at Carter Road Promenade to protest the proposed LED hoardings and demand the project be scrapped on Saturday

Teen sawaal with minister Nitesh Rane

Have you cancelled the Carter Road hoardings plan? Why?
Yes. The contractor moved ahead prematurely without full permissions while the Maritime Board is still drafting a comprehensive waterfront hoardings policy. I have directed that the work stop and the material be removed.

Ports and Fisheries Minister Nitesh Rane. File pic

What will the policy mean for Mumbai?
We have been working on a policy. The draft is ready. It will consider development needs, public sentiment, and long-term planning before any decisions are implemented.

Will promenades like Carter Road still see ads in future?
Revenue generation and self sufficiency is important for the Maritime Board, and hoardings are one option. But nothing will be allowed without a structured policy that covers all aspects.

What happened
>> 35 LED hoardings planned along Carter Road
>> Residents protested and issued a legal notice
>> Government has now cancelled the plan
>> Contractor told to stop work and clear site

Why the plan was stopped

Residents argued the hoardings would:
>> Set a precedent for commercial exploitation of waterfronts
>> Damage the area's natural beauty and public character
>> A protest letter warned the move would be a "permanent blot" on a cherished public space

Policy in the works
>> The Maritime Board is drafting a statewide waterfront hoardings policy, expected by February 23
>> Rane said monetising waterfronts is necessary but must follow a structured policy