Cuttack, Sept. 9: Education institutes, hospitals, tourist spots and busy stretches in the city would wear a cleaner look.

The Cuttack Municipal Corporation has issued a notice for the removal of illegal hoardings from various public places to check the menace of billboards jostling for space along various routes, thereby leading to visual pollution and other traffic hazards.

The move also aims to strictly implement the "no-hoarding zone" concept, which the urban development department will shortly introduce, official sources said.

The corporation has identified 11 places, including the area near government offices, heritage and tourist junctions, educational institutions and hospitals for the proposed no-hoarding zones.

"The public notice has been issued, and the advertisement agencies have been asked to pull down hoardings and other billboards within seven days," said municipal commissioner Gyana Das.

The stretch between Orissa High Court and Sishu Bhavan, busy routes such as the Chandi Mandir Chhak, SCB Medical College and Hospital, City Hospital and the stretch between Sati Choura and CDA Sector-10 have been declared as no-hoarding zones. Besides, no hoardings will be allowed near any heritage site listed by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), including the Barabati Fort, religious institutions and statues of eminent persons.

According to the notice, no hoardings will be allowed within 100 metres of the identified places and the civic body will take strict action against violators. A special squad has also been formed to pull down illegal hoardings and collect fines from the firms and advertisement agencies for any kind of deviation or violation of the order.

"The pulling down of illegal hoardings will start from next week after completion of the seven-day notice period," Das said.

A civic body official said special enforcement drives had been launched in July and August to pull down illegal hoardings that had come up in several parts of the city. Notices were served to 128 advertisement firms and other individuals to clear hoarding dues worth Rs 5.17 crore for the last three financial years. So far, the corporation has collected Rs 60 lakh.

The corporation has also blacklisted 40 advertising agencies, which did not respond to the notice served. The case of another 11 agencies is now under legal dispute.

A few advertisement agencies have sought additional time and requested for part payment to clear their dues, a senior official said.