Illegal flex boards dot Patiala roads

Patiala, November 3

Photographs of politicians on illegal advertisement flex boards have often come up across the city. The practice not only affects the aesthetics of the city but also discourages contractors from applying for legal advertisement tenders. This has left the Municipal Corporation’s tender for outdoor advertisements unallocated despite nine attempts.

The illegally installed flex boards in Patiala prominently feature photographs of leaders of political parties, MLAs and councillors across party lines.

A city resident said, “Such use of photographs of politicians apparently wards-off eyes of inspectors and superintendents of the MC, who then fail to remove them and issue challans over fear of powerful individuals. This has an adverse effect on the corporation’s exchequer which has failed to allocate a tender for outdoor advertisements for the ninth time in a row.”

The blatant violation keeps away bidders for tenders as they fear loss of revenue due to such illegal installations. An MC official said, “The rates of the tenders were reduced to attract bidders. The corporation also separated city’s advertisement poles and kiosks in order to issue small tenders. But the tenders were still not allocated.”

Contractors said the illegal installations result in loss of their business. “We pay huge amounts for the advertisement tenders, but people violate municipal norms and carry out such installations with impunity of political leaders. Afraid of the politicians, the MC officials fail to issue them challans,” a contractor said.

An MC official said the department will re-issue the advertisement tender for nearly Rs six crore for the 10th time. He added that the department had removed the illegally installed advertisement flex boards from the city, but more continued to pop-up.

When contacted regarding use of his photographs on flex-boards, MLA Ajit Pal Singh Kohli said, “I have been discouraging this act for long. I am all against this practice. All my well-wishers should refrain from putting such hoardings to maintain the aesthetics of the city.”

Maintain aesthetics of city

I have been discouraging this act for long. I am all against this practice. All my well-wishers should refrain from putting such hoardings to maintain the aesthetics of the city. — Ajit Pal Singh Kohli, MLA