Rs20 lakh penalty recovered from illegal hoardings: Deputy CM

Patna: Deputy CM and urban development and housing minister Vijay Kumar Sinha on Wednesday gave details on steps taken by the state govt to strengthen revenue in municipal bodies and improve urban management through effective parking and hoarding regulations.Sinha said, “The state govt is continuously committed to building a transparent, accountable and modern urban administration.” He said systematic parking management has been implemented across all 19 municipal corporations, 89 municipal councils and 156 nagar panchayats in the state. As a result, urban local bodies have successfully collected more than Rs87 crore as parking revenue. Additionally, arrangements worth over Rs92 crore have been made to keep the parking system smooth and well-organised.The deputy CM described these achievements as an important milestone that provides new direction to the financial strengthening of urban bodies and advances the vision of self-reliant municipal institutions.He further highlighted strict action against violators of rules. A dedicated campaign against illegal parking has resulted in notices being issued in 59 cases. Sinha made it clear that firm enforcement against those violating rules will continue to ensure smooth traffic movement and greater convenience for common citizens.

Simultaneously, widespread action has been taken against unauthorised hoardings. In 12 municipal corporations, 46 municipal councils and 68 nagar panchayats, penalties of more than Rs20 lakh have been recovered, he said. Moreover, arrangements worth approximately Rs44 lakh have been finalised for transparent and systematic hoarding management. “These measures have not only enhanced the beauty of urban areas but have also led to a notable increase in revenue for the municipal bodies,” the minister said.Sinha emphasised that the department is working towards making cities clean, safe, well-managed and citizen-friendly. He instructed officers to keep continuous watch on illegal activities and ensure strict adherence to rules so that people can avail better urban services.