The city may be on many lists of must-see global tourist destinations, but one prominent feature of Chennai that is likely to remain in the minds of most visitors is the utter chaos caused by cinema posters, political graffiti and banners in public spaces. Even compound walls of private premises are often not spared.
Nitesh Bhandari, a businessman, in a post at The Hindu ’s social initiative Friends of Chennai, was very vocal about how public spaces including railway stations, flyovers and compound walls are being misused by political parties and film exhibitors who plaster them indiscriminately with posters.
And, it’s not just the compound walls of government buildings that are being defaced. The scourge has spread to even the newly constructed and under-construction piers and barricades of the Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL). Posters have been pasted on the elevated portion between Koyambedu and Alandur. Though officials of CMRL have been warning those involved in such activities, citing the Tamil Nadu Open Places (Prevention of Disfigurement) Act, 1959, and removing the posters from the barricades, they are unable to find any sustainable solution to this problem.
R. Govindaraj, secretary, Exnora International, said former Mayor M. Subramanian had initiated the beautification of public spaces by engaging artists, but the work was not continued after a while.
While the Chennai Corporation has undertaken special drives to remove the wall posters, paintings and banners in public places, a senior official of the civic body said it is the traffic police which have the power to regulate or prosecute the offenders.
However, a senior official of the Chennai City Police said any action regarding the defacement of public places should be taken by the Chennai Corporation under the Tamil Nadu Open Places (Prevention of Disfigurement) Act, 1959, with the police officials providing assistance in the removal drive.
Even as the Corporation and police authorities are trying to pass the buck with regard to preventing defacement of public places, V. Suresh, secretary, People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), said that defacing of public property was a civic issue and hence, the responsibility of the Corporation.
