Heavy billboards not removed in defiance of CM’s orders
Workers remove panaflex sheet from a billboard to prevent it from flying away and causing threat to life and property as Karachi experiences strong winds triggered by cyclone Biparjoy. Photo: Jalal Qureshi/Express
Despite clear forecasts of strong winds and heavy rain, heavy metallic billboards on high-rises and multi-story buildings across the city have not been removed.
Sindh Chief Minister visited different areas of the city on Tuesday to review security arrangements and directed the removal of the heavy billboards. However, these instructions were ignored, and the billboards continued to pose a risk.
Instead of fully removing the steel structures as directed, outdoor advertisers and concerned departments only removed the pena flex skin, deceiving the Sindh government and defying the chief minister's directives.
The giant-size billboards cover all floors of the buildings with iron structures constructed on specially erected concrete structures. Unfortunately, even the structures on the roofs of high-rises were not removed, leaving them vulnerable to strong winds. The collapse of such structures during storms could lead to severe destruction.
The Supreme Court had previously ordered the removal of billboards throughout the city. However, an alarming trend has emerged where even larger billboards than before have reappeared all over the city, posing a significant risk to the life and property of citizens during stormy weather.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 14th, 2023.