TIRUCHY: Despite the Madras High Court ruling against putting up banners on main roads and crowded places, Tiruchy residents found huge banners along roadside, on medians and roundabouts put up by the AIADMK on Tuesday.
Banners popped up all over the city, with many of them hanging in a precarious way and posing threat to road users. Several banners were tied using a single rope near the Chathiram bus stand, one of the most populated areas in the city.
Pointing at a banner, K Kannan, a pedestrian, said, "Political parties care the least about rules. Look at that banner. See how loosely its hanging and tilting towards the road. What will happen if the rope snaps and the banner falls on someone?"
On visiting the protest site, one could notice party flags carelessly tied to pillars and several flex boards kept near the median without any support.
P Ayyarappan, a road safety activist, said rules were being implemented only when it came to the public, and not political parties and powerful organisations. "Despite the court order, this is how political parties act. The Collector, being the head of District Road Safety Advisory Committee, should be ensuring
that no one breaks the rules. Such practices should stop."
When contacted, P Sivapadam, city engineer, Tiruchy City Corporation, said no permission had been sought by the protesters and they had placed banners on their own.
An official attached to Kottai police station said permission was given only to hold protest and not to put up the banners.