Patna, June 30: The Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) can soon get some serious technical assistance that would help it generate more revenue.

The corporation has taken a decision to form a dedicated technical cell to look into the matters related to advertisement agencies, hoardings and mobile towers.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the civic agency’s empowered standing committee today.

According to sources in the PMC, councillor Suneel Kumar, a member of the committee, gave the proposal which was unanimously approved by all the seven members.

“At present, there is no separate team or cell to look into these matters. This, despite the fact that the fee earned from them can be a good source of revenue for the corporation. As a result, outdoor advertisement agencies and mobile companies do not ever pay any requisite fee to the PMC,” Kumar said after the meeting.

“The technical cell will ensure that the advertising agencies do not get away easily,” he added.

PMC mayor Afzal Imam, who chaired today’s meeting, said according to the recommendations, one councillor, three engineers and a surveyor would be made the members of the cell. The names of the members would be finalised later.

The issue of illegal hoardings has been bothering the PMC as its revenue from the outdoor agencies has been nil during the past two financial years. This despite the fact that large and small billboards and hoardings are perched atop most tall towers in the state capital.

In the meeting, the committee also asked the executive officials of the corporation to start removing the illegal hoardings from July 3.

In its last meeting on June 13, the committee had directed administrative officials of the civic body to remove unauthorised billboards within 10 days. However, the directions were not followed.

Reacting sharply on the administrative inaction, the members chided the executive officials and asked them to comply with the orders this time round. Sources said there are about 900 illegal hoardings in the corporation area.

The committee also decided to carry out welfare work for slum dwellers in the coming days.

“Rs 2.13 crore sanctioned for development work in the slum areas has remained used for the past several years. We have now decided to spend it in the interest of the poor people living in such areas. The officials concerned have been directed to float tenders for the construction of toilets in these areas within the 15 days,” said another senior member of the committee.

The officials have also been asked to ensure timely payment to the contractors in areas after 100 per cent completion of ward development work, the member added.

The committee members also discussed the problem of waterlogging reported from several parts of the city and ordered installation of pipeline and pumps in localities which face such a problem.

PMC will hold a board meeting in the first week of July to discuss the matters further, PMC sources said.