COIMBATORE: Flouting Madras High Court directions and road safety norms, private firms' advertisement boards continue to hang from traffic signal poles. Advertisements have also been installed on poles placed at the centre median on Coimbatore roads.
When TNIE visited various spots in the city on Saturday, advertisement boards of private hospitals were spotted on traffic signal poles at Pankaja Mills and Avarampalayam in the city. A private school's advertisement board was also found on a U-turn pole on Avinashi Road.
Coimbatore Consumer Cause secretary K Kathirmathiyon told TNIE that the Madras High Court, in his public interest litigation (PIL), had prohibited placing advertisements on traffic signals. "Such advertisements distract drivers and clearly violate road safety norms, Indian Road Congress (IRC) guidelines, and court orders. Hence, they have been banned by both the IRC and High Court," he pointed out.
"IRC norms state that advertisements should not be permitted on boards, placards, cloth banners or sheets, and no advertisements should be permitted at junctions. However, these restrictions are being blatantly violated at traffic signals in Coimbatore," he alleged.
He added that in recent months, when the administration has been fully engaged in election-related work, it had come to their notice that a large number of new advertisements have been erected across the district in the name of 'sponsors' for traffic signals.
"In several cases, advertisers have drawn power supply directly from the main lines, which amounts to theft of energy and constitutes a serious offence punishable under Section 135 of the Indian Electricity Act," he said.
He further said that he sent a petition to the district collector, urging the immediate removal of all advertisements at traffic signals and centre median of roads, adding that if there is no prompt action, he will be forced to initiate contempt of court proceedings.
When inquired, District Collector Pavankumar G Giriyappanavar said he will look into this.