21 October,2026 02:36 PM IST | Mumbai | Aditi Alurkar
Political banners and displays at Kala Nagar in Bandra East, where residents say such installations often obstruct footpaths and remain long after events are over. Pic/Shadab Khan
With political rallies and festive celebrations adding to Mumbai's cluttered streetscape, residents say banners, posters, and party flags continue to spring up across the city despite the BMC's âFlex Free Campaign'. From Dadar and Shivaji Park to Worli, Bandra and the suburbs, citizens complain that the displays obstruct footpaths, obscure landmarks, and create potential road-safety hazards.
Banners and flex displays at the NESCO Centre in Goregaon, adding to Mumbai's cluttered streetscape amid the BMC's drive against unauthorised advertisements. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi
The problem is also visible along the Western Express Highway and in Bandra East, near the district collector's office and Chetna College, where banners, posters and flags remain on display.
The BMC says it has removed more than 52,000 banners and flexes since January. However, residents argue that new displays appear faster than civic teams can take them down, leaving the city caught in a recurring cycle of removal and reinstallation.
Banners and flex displays at the NESCO Centre in Goregaon, adding to Mumbai's cluttered streetscape amid the BMC's drive against unauthorised advertisements. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi
Political banners and displays linked to competing rallies have appeared around Dadar and Shivaji Park, residents said, adding that the area's political significance and festive gatherings make it a recurring hotspot.
"Dadar and Shivaji Park are known for their political history and prominent festivities, which is why the citizens never have respite from the billboards," said Vaibhav Rege, secretary of Dadar ALM. Residents say banners are often placed at pedestrian crossings and junctions, inconveniencing commuters and pedestrians.
Political banners add to the visual clutter in Kalbadevi, despite the BMC's ongoing âFlex Free Campaign'. Pic/Ashish Raje
"There are banners at pedestrian crossings and junctions. While we have formerly raised these issues actively, yet there is no respite. Now, the onus should fall on politicians and party workers because even the BMC cannot keep up with these hoardings that pop up every day," Rege said.
Political banners and displays at Kala Nagar in Bandra East, where residents say such installations often obstruct footpaths and remain long after events are over. Pic/Shadab Khan
Residents have also complained about banners obscuring landmarks at Shivaji Park, including the Senapati Bapat memorial. "There is a Senapati Bapat memorial at Shivaji Park and the statue often gets covered by banners, which led to our previous complaints," Rege said.
Political banners line streets across Mumbai, including areas around Shivaji Park, Mahim, Tardeo and Mumbai Central. Pic/Ashish Raje
Residents say the clutter is not limited to political events, with commercial promotions adding to the problem. "The banners can be an eyesore. I have been seeing them near my house in Worli, I noticed them on my way to work in Khar, and I even came across a large line of billboards outside the Mahalakshmi temple when I went there during Navaratri. It's not just politicians; it is the brands too," said Karan Hingorani, a Worli resident.
Political banners and flex displays line streets in Bandra, adding to the city's visual clutter and raising concerns over obstructed pedestrian access. Pics/By Special Arrangement
Hingorani said banners near crossings and along roads could also create safety risks. "There are also places where a pedestrian zebra crossing leads into a banner! Sometimes they block the driver's view of the road and can lead to safety hazards," he added.
The BMC said it has removed 52,448 banners and flexes since the beginning of the year. It also reported taking down 3,537 unauthorised advertisements during a special drive between October 8 and 16. The civic body said four FIRs had been registered in connection with the crackdown. It had also written to the police seeking further legal action in 333 other cases.
Residents in Bandra East say they have begun approaching political leaders directly to prevent banners from being put up in their neighbourhood.
"We have directly written to political leaders, asking them to ensure that these banners don't come up in the area. Having banners across the footpath blocks pedestrian access, while previously, I have physically moved a banner that was getting in the way. We have to educate everyone against this recurring habit because usually these banners don't go down even after the event is over," said Siddharth Pardhe, secretary of the Bandra East ALM. Rekha Nigam, a Bandra resident, said banners detract from the area's greenery and raised questions about the permissions required to put them up.
"We have a green locality with lots of trees, and the billboards deface the road. Since this is promotional material, we wonder what are the legalities and processes one must follow to erect billboards," she said.
Another resident, Jimmy Francis, said banners also affect access to residential buildings. "We live in a premium society in Bandra, and our entire approach road gets filled with banners. Sometimes they end up blocking the gates of residential societies," he said.
52,448
Banners and flexes removed since the beginning of the year.
3537
Unauthorised advertisements removed during the special drive from October 8 to 16.
4
FIRs registered in connection with the crackdown, according to the BMC.
333
Other cases referred to the police for further legal action.
Proposed measure: QR codes to help verify whether banners and flexes are authorised.
The BMC has also proposed making QR codes mandatory to help verify the validity of such displays. Despite the ongoing drive, residents say enforcement needs to be accompanied by greater compliance from political parties, organisers and commercial advertisers. They argue that banners should be removed after events.
"The BMC is to remove these banners tomorrow [Wednesday] onwards and inform the police about illegal ones. We already have a drive underway that has been going on since October 8 for which we have daily reports coming in," said a BMC official.
