The Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) on Monday launched a drive to remove illegal hoardings installed across the city without official permission, citing concerns over pedestrian safety and visual pollution.
According to the civic officials, numerous large advertising display boards promoting commercial products and shopping malls had been installed without obtaining approval from the municipal authority.
Many of these structures were allegedly erected by encroaching on pavements and footpaths, obstructing pedestrian movement and posing potential safety hazards.
They indicated that similar enforcement drives will continue in other parts of the city to ensure compliance with civic regulations and improve pedestrian safety.
“Many of these structures have encroached upon footpaths, making it difficult for pedestrians to move safely. Based on these complaints, we conducted a removal drive in the Sevoke Road area on Monday morning,” said an official.
The civic body stated that around 370 hoardings within the municipal limits have been legally installed after obtaining the necessary permissions. However, most of the remaining display boards are unauthorised.
So far, the officials have identified around 21 illegal hoardings for immediate removal. These structures have been erected at prominent intersections, along major roads and atop high-rise buildings without civic approval.
Officials said that in addition to dismantling these structures, the civic body will determine how long each hoarding has been in place and impose penalties on those responsible based on the duration of the violation.
“The removal drive is an ongoing process. Apart from dismantling the illegal display boards, fines will be imposed after assessing the period for which they remained installed without permission,” the official added.
The initiative has received support from environmental groups, which have long campaigned against the unchecked proliferation of hoardings in the city.
Animesh Bose, programme coordinator of the Himalayan Nature & Adventure Foundation, welcomed the civic body’s action.
“For decades, Siliguri offered clear views of Mt. Kanchenjunga and the surrounding mountain ranges on bright days. Today, those views are increasingly obstructed not only by the rapid growth of high-rise buildings but also by unplanned advertising hoardings. While we understand their commercial value, such structures contribute significantly to visual pollution. The authorities should not only remove illegal hoardings but also adopt a long-term policy to prevent installations that obstruct visibility or compromise public safety,” Bose said.