The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has asked Ganeshotsav and Navratri festival organisers in Mumbai not to place commercial advertisements on roads or pavements in ways that obstruct or inconvenience pedestrians, as the civic body steps up its ‘Pedestrian First’ campaign during the festival season.
BMC Commissioner Ashwini Bhide appealed to festival mandals, organisers, advertisers and citizens to cooperate with the campaign and follow the civic body’s prescribed rules for displaying commercial advertisements. The appeal was issued in an official statement cited by Mid-Day.
Mumbai experiences a sharp increase in pedestrian movement during Ganeshotsav, when devotees and visitors travel on foot to reach festival pandals and seek darshan. The BMC said keeping pedestrian routes clear and safe was therefore important during the festive period. The appeal also covers arrangements associated with Navratri.
The civic body said its administration has been implementing measures under the ‘Pedestrian First’ campaign to make walking in Mumbai safer and easier. According to the BMC statement, the campaign has received significant public participation and has been widely appreciated.
The commissioner has specifically urged citizens and festival organisers not to install unauthorised advertisements on roads or pavements. The direction places responsibility on organisers and advertisers to ensure that commercial displays do not reduce usable walking space or create inconvenience along routes used by devotees and other pedestrians.
The BMC said its administration and Licence Department had also been instructed to remove unauthorised or obstructive advertisements. The statement did not specify the number of enforcement teams, the penalties for violations, or the precise locations where action would be taken.
The civic appeal comes as Mumbai prepares for increased footfall around public festival venues. The BMC has asked organisers, advertisers and citizens to follow the prescribed advertisement rules and cooperate with the administration’s pedestrian-safety measures during Ganeshotsav and Navratri.
