‘Code of Conduct’ Crackdown: NMC Removes 444 Political Hoardings in 48-Hour Blitz

NAGPUR, Maharashtra — As the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) kicks in for the upcoming civic polls, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has launched an aggressive cleanup drive, removing hundreds of unauthorized political advertisements defacing the city’s skyline.

In a span of just two days, civic squads have dismantled 444 political hoardings, banners, and cut-outs. The data exposes the rampant misuse of public spaces by political aspirants ahead of the January 15 election, with specific zones emerging as top violators.

Here is the investigative breakdown of the crackdown and the challenges that remain.

The Numbers: Public vs. Private Property

The enforcement drive revealed a stark contrast in where violations are occurring.

• Total Removals: 444 advertisements.

• Public Property: The vast majority—317 items—were removed from public spaces, including streetlights, dividers, and parks.

• Government Property: 107 items were cleared from government buildings and premises.

• Private Property: Action here remained minimal, with only 20 removals, highlighting a potential blind spot in enforcement or hesitation to act against private premises hosting political ads.

The Hotspots: Hanuman Nagar & Gandhibagh

The data pinpoints specific zones where the disregard for the MCC is most acute.

• Top Violator: Hanuman Nagar Zone led the list with 114 removals.

• Runner Up: Gandhibagh Zone followed closely with 91 removals.

• Other Zones: Laxminagar saw 56 removals, while Dhantoli, previously criticized for lax enforcement, recorded 12.

The Reality Check: “Inconsistent and Selective”

Despite the impressive statistics, sources within the civic administration suggest the crackdown may be superficial.

The Insider View: Senior officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, alleged that enforcement is inconsistent. Zones like Dhantoli, Nehru Nagar, and Lakadganj have been internally flagged for dragging their feet on High Court orders regarding illegal hoardings.

“Figures look impressive on paper, but many posters and banners are still intact at busy junctions… In some cases, fresh banners appeared overnight,” a senior official revealed.

The Legal Mandate: The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court has repeatedly directed authorities to ensure a time-bound and uniform removal of such displays. With political campaigning set to intensify, the gap between the NMC’s reported action and the ground reality will be under close scrutiny.