Mayor Ritu Tawde announces 'Flex-Free Mumbai for 365 Days' campaign against illegal banners

Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde has announced a special campaign against unauthorised flex banners posters and advertisements across the city with a focus on reducing plastic waste and preventing the visual pollution of public spacesTitled Shadu Bappa for 10 days ndash Flexfree Mumbai for 365 days the campaign aims to extend the environmental message of the Ganesh festival throughout the yearTawde has also written to Brihanmumbai Municipal Commissioner BMC Ashwini Bhide regarding the proposed campaign a copy of which is with midday and plans to approach leaders of all political parties to seek their supportMayor seeks allparty supportTawde is expected to write to political party leaders and officebearers urging them their workers and citizens not to put up unauthorised banners and hoardingsShe has called for political differences to be set aside to support the campaign and has said that enforcement should be impartial regardless of political affiliationA joint meeting of the civic administration is also expected to be held soon under Tawdes chairpersonship with MLA Amit Satam scheduled to be present the official statement saidQR code to be mandatory on authorised bannersUnder the proposed system advertisements and banners officially approved by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation will have to carry the permit number validity period printers name and an official QR codeThe QR code will allow civic officials and members of the public to check whether a banner has been legally authorisedAccording to the proposal any banner poster or hoarding without the required QR code will be treated as unauthorised and may be removed and seizedThe campaign proposes action under Sections 328 and 328A of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act and the Maharashtra Prevention of Defacement of Property Act 1995Those found violating the rules could face penalties while police complaints and FIRs may be registered where requiredThe proposal also calls for printers contractors and agencies repeatedly involved in producing unauthorised flex banners and posters to be permanently blacklisted rather than merely finedThe Mumbai civic body will also encourage agencies to use cloth ecofriendly materials and digital LED alternatives instead of PVCbased materialSinglewindow system planned for permissionsThe campaign proposes reforms to the existing outdoor advertising policy with permissions to be processed through a digital singlewindow systemThe move is aimed at making the approval process more transparent and timebound while also increasing BMCs advertising revenueThe civic administration estimates that unauthorised advertising results in the loss of significant licence revenueSeized PVC material to be recycledThe proposal also calls for scientific processing and recycling of seized PVC and plastic material through the Solid Waste Management departmentThe aim is to prevent confiscated material from being dumped back on roads or entering drainsCitizens will be able to report unauthorised banners through the BMCs 1916 helpline official website and the MyBMC appThe proposal sets a maximum target of 72 hours for action on complaintsA weekly wardwise dashboard covering enforcement action fines collected and cases registered will also be submitted to the mayorMayor calls for yearround environmental actionTawde said the campaign was inspired by the use of Shadu clay idols during Ganeshotsav and the need to extend environmental protection beyond the festival periodldquoJust as we set an example for environmental conservation by giving preference to Shadu clay idols during Ganeshotsav it is our collective responsibility to prevent the spread of plastic and PVC waste throughout the yearrdquo Tawde said according to the official statementShe said she would personally write to political parties to seek their cooperation and urged all stakeholders to work together to make Mumbai free of unauthorised flex bannersldquoPolitical differences should be kept aside for the beauty of Mumbai I will take the initiative by writing to all political parties The administration and elected representatives together will certainly make Mumbai flexfreerdquo she said