Party flag posts make Colaba residents see red

Pedestrians and joggers have been left with very little room on already narrow footpaths thanks to concrete posts constructed by some political parties

MUMBAIKARS' fight against nuisances in the form of political parties' publicity material such as hoardings and banners has acquired a new dimension. Residents in Colaba have now objected to concrete flag posts of some political parties obstructing the narrow footpaths and leaving them no room to walk.


The flag posts have left pedestrians and joggers fuming

Deepa Poncha, a resident of Wodehouse Road, said, "Flag posts on the footpath at the end of Badhwar Park junction have left very little room for people to move about. I walk my dog on the narrow footpath every morning and evening and the new obstructions have made that nearly impossible."

Echoing similar sentiments, a railway official, who lives in the railway colony in the area, said, "Shops and signboard posts have already left the footpath rather constricted and now these unauthorised concrete flag posts are adding to the problem.
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We have seen flags being unfurled on bamboo posts and on grills and streetlights, but building concrete posts is just not correct. It is a public walkway and such things cause problems to pedestrians and joggers."

An official from A ward's maintenance department said that a complaint had been made about the concrete posts and admitted that they had not taken action on it.

When MiD DAY contacted Assistant Municipal Commissioner Sunil Dhamane of A Ward, he said, "The complaint letter has not reached me yet, but I will inform the maintenance department about the flag posts.
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If they are concrete ones, they will be removed immediately. Political parties need to take permissions from the licence department to put up the flags for a few days but concrete flag posts are completely unauthorised."

BMC's Standing Committee Chairperson and Corporator Rahul Shewale said, "No political party is permitted to construct a flag post on public property.

The ones that exist are unauthorised and have to be removed. Necessary action will be taken against the flag posts in question by the local ward office."