The Hindu 24.03.2010
GHMC orders removal of ad gantries
Special Correspondent
| Found to be ‘obstructing the visibility of approaching motorists, causing accidents’ |
Missive sent to private agency, Stanpower, which had set up these signals at some places in city
The agency had set up traffic signals and ad gantries without any permit
HYDERABAD: The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has ordered removal of advertisement gantries and traffic signals installed on four road stretches by a private agency to remove them immediately.
Not only were they illegally installed but they were also found to be “obstructing the visibility of approaching motorists and distracting them, causing accidents”.
The missive was sent to the private agency, Stanpower, which set up these signals in ECIL crossroads to Sainikpuri Y junction, Sainikpuri Y junction to Ramakrishnapuram, St. John’s junction to Begumpet and on the Balanagar road.
Contract
Ironically, the GHMC has entered into a contract with the same agency for settling up of an intelligence traffic management system on a pilot basis between Greenlands and the Jubilee Hills Check Post little more than a month ago.
However, the agency had set up traffic signals and ad gantries on the above mentioned roads under GHMC jurisdiction without any permit. Stanpower had also entered into a contract with the Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB) to install modern traffic signals at 11 junctions on a BOT basis nearly one and half year ago but nothing has come up so far due to various reasons.
But, the agency had signals and gantries on the four GHMC roads linking to SCB whereas the latter had already informed it had not given any permission.
The agency has been asked to stop works on these roads, remove ad gantries installed opposite Anand theatre, between Paradise and YMCA flyovers. Stanpower has also directed to install the removed old traffic signals at the identified locations and submit a detailed report on the signal works for inspection and necessary action.
