After Subhasri death, Chennai Corporation removes 3,400 illegal hoardings in a day

Three separate phone lines have also been announced for the citizens to lodge complaints against banners and hoardings in the city.

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The Greater Chennai Corporation has announced formation of a special patrol to check illegal hoardings and flex banners across the city. The move comes two days after a 23-year-old techie lost her life after an illegal flex banner fell on her bike and made her lose control of the vehicle. She came under the wheels of a tanker lorry and died a painful death on Thursday.

The Corporation has started removing unauthorized flex boards, banners and digital hoardings from across the city. The drive which began on Friday afternoon has seen around 3,400 illegal banners taken down from various places in the city.

Speaking to TNM about the move, Commissioner of Greater Chennai Corporation G Prakash said that stringent action will be taken against the printing press owners who make such digital banners and hoardings.

“Printers cannot print the banners unless there is a permission granted for the purpose,” he said. When asked why action cannot be initiated against those who put up the banners, he said that steps are being taken to pass orders making them also criminally liable.

The Corporation has also launched three special phone lines for the citizens to register their complaints related to illegal flex boards and hoardings. People living in Tiruvottriyur, Manali, Madhavaram, Royapuram and Tondiarpet can call to 9445190205 to lodge their complaints. People residing in Thiru Vi Ka Nagar, Ambattur, Teynampet, Anna Nagar and Kodambakkam can call to 9445190698 to lodge complaints. Residents of Valasaravakkam, Alandur, Adyar, Perungudi and Sholinganallur can call 9445194802 and report illegal hoardings in their locality.

The death of a young woman due to an illegal banner hoisted for the family event of an AIADMK functionary sparked massive outrage with citizens demanding that those responsible for the death be held responsible. While the police have arrested the driver of the tanker lorry and sealed the printing shop that made the flex board, local authorities who allowed the hoardings despite a court-ordered ban and the AIADMK functionary for whose family function the banner was erected remain at large.