Chandigarh/Mohali, 23 January 2025: The Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the Mohali administration to submit their response by March 4 regarding the installation of illegal hoardings, billboards, and unipoles along key roads.
The Public Interest Litigation (PIL), filed by lawyer Arjun Shukla, claims that these unlawful structures, located on the roads connecting Lalru to Zirakpur-Kalka Road and Banur-Zirakpur Road, violate the Punjab Municipal Outdoor Advertisement Policy of 2018.
Shukla alleges that the hoardings fall under the jurisdiction of the Zirakpur Municipal Council, raising concerns about safety risks and legal violations.
“These unregulated hoardings are a clear breach of the policy, endanger traffic safety, and must be removed immediately,” the PIL argues.
The petition also points out similar illegal signage across other cities, including Kharar, Mohali, and Ludhiana.
The PIL brings attention to a June 2024 incident in Zirakpur, where two unipoles collapsed during a dust storm, damaging seven vehicles.
Shukla urges authorities to take prompt action to remove such hazards and suggests that the funds raised from penalizing those responsible be allocated for public welfare.