Thane assistant civic commissioners told to ensure implementation of Marathi signboard order

Thane Municipal Commissioner Abhijit Bangar

Thane Municipal Commissioner Abhijit Bangar on Tuesday asked nine assistant civic commissioners to ensure implementation of Marathi signboard order.

Bangar asked nine assistant civic commissioners to ensure that signboards of shops and other establishments in the city are displayed in the Marathi (Devnagri) script in bold letters as per Maharashtra government rules, reported news agency PTI.

An official release by the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) said the responsibility of ensuring the usage of Marathi on signboards has been fixed on the civic corporation and Bangar has cited a Supreme Court ruling in this regard and issued orders, reported PTI.

Hence, he fixed the responsibility of ensuring compliance with the SC order on the nine assistant commissioners of Thane, said the release, reported PTI.

Suitable action should be taken against shops and establishments not complying with the direction of displaying their signboards in the Marathi (Devnagri) script in bold letters, said Bangar, reported PTI.

As per Rule 35 and Section 36C of the Maharashtra Shops and Establishments (Regulation of employment and conditions of service) Rules, 2018, and the Maharashtra Shops and Establishments (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) (Amendment) Act, 2022, respectively, the signboards of establishments must be in Marathi Devnagri script in bold letters in the state, reported PTI.

The Supreme Court earlier gave shopkeepers a two-month deadline (which ended on November 25) to install Marathi signboards, reported PTI.

Meanwhile, the Mumbai civic body on November 29 took legal action against 161 shops and establishments for not displaying their signboards in the Marathi (Devanagari) script in bold letters in violation of a Supreme Court directive and provisions of the Maharashtra legislation on the issue, reported news agency PTI.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said in a release that the teams of civic officers from the Shops and Establishments Department inspected 3,575 shops and establishments across the megalopolis and found signboards of 161 shops and establishments violating the apex court directive and rules about Marathi signboards, reported PTI.

On the first day of the drive on November 28, the BMC teams had inspected 3,269 shops and establishments, and took action against 176 of them for the violations, reported PTI.

In two days starting November 28, the civic administration inspected a total of 6,844 shops and took action against 337 establishments for violating the signboard rule, reported PTI.

The civic body has constituted teams of facilitators in all the 24 civic wards and they have been given powers to take legal action against the violators, reported PTI.

(With inputs from PTI)