Taking matters into their own hands, officials from the Vanrai police station on Tuesday removed several hoardings installed illegally along the Western Express Highway (WEH) after receiving numerous complaints from motorists. The task, which ideally falls under the purview of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), was initiated by the police to prevent potential accidents and ensure smooth vehicular movement.
“These hoardings were creating a serious safety hazard. Some were jutting out dangerously close to the lane, and motorists were forced to veer to avoid them. We received several calls from concerned commuters over the last few days, and since immediate action was required, we decided to step in,” said Senior Police Constable Deepak Pawar of Vanrai police station.
According to police sources, several drivers had repeatedly complained about oversized and poorly positioned hoardings that had begun to extend beyond the yellow safety line and onto the road. The issue had become particularly concerning during the festive season, when advertisers and political parties put up large banners and flex boards to attract attention and make the most of the heavy highway traffic.
“There is no dedicated lane for two-wheeler users. We somehow squeeze through traffic and make way from the far left of the road. Then the banners and hoardings installed are either so big that they jut out beyond the yellow line marked on either side of the road or have fallen in the space between dividers and we motorists need to move them to make way,” said Dharmin Nagpal, who travels daily from Kandivli to Andheri.
Adding to him, another motorist, Ragini Lalit, told mid-day, “I am happy that finally some authority, irrespective of whose responsibility it is, has taken up the work of removing these hoardings. On several occasions, I have had to apply emergency brakes, which led to vehicles behind dashing into mine, and there would be a domino effect. I hope political party workers learn something from this and stop installing such hoardings.”
Senior Police Constable Pawar added that the police, while not the authority responsible for hoarding removal, prioritised public safety over procedural delays. “We understand this is technically the BMC’s job, but waiting for official removal could have put lives at risk. Once we cleared the hoardings, we informed the civic body to collect and dispose of them properly,” he said.
This is not the first time the issue has come to light. Earlier this month, mid-day had reported about similar hoardings installed during Dussehra that extended dangerously close to the highway lanes, making it difficult for motorists to travel safely. While the BMC had then promised to take strict action against those putting up illegal displays, the recurrence of the issue indicates a lapse in monitoring and enforcement.
Motorists using the WEH have welcomed the police action. “It’s commendable that the police stepped in before an accident happened. Every day, we see these hoardings coming up overnight, and no one seems to check if they’re safe or legal,” said a regular commuter from Borivli.
Road safety experts have also stressed the need for better coordination between the police and civic authorities. “Such hazards shouldn’t reach a stage where the police have to intervene. The BMC must regularly inspect key routes and ensure that no visual or physical obstruction compromises driver safety. Also, as per Bombay High Court orders, it’s a joint responsibility of the BMC and the police to ensure hoardings are not installed without permission. Simply removing them is not enough. Those installing them need to be arrested as well,” said activist Zoru Bathena. Despite several calls being made by mid-day, there was no response on the matter from the BMC.
