#FlexPoliticsBeda: These Bengaluru Folks Are Waging War on ‘Political Pollution’!

Bengaluru's beautiful cityscape could do without unnecessary ugly political flex hoardings, feels this group of citizens.

By Rayomand Engineer

July 25, 2018

The beautiful Cunningham Road-Queen’s Road Junction, the Central Business District Zone A, is finally free of hoardings, thanks to a group of citizens, who have been continuously monitoring this area, and other parts of the city, filing complaints against advertisers, getting illegal banners removed.

The city is no stranger to hoardings. Quite large in size, they often block out great views, and are a huge distraction. Well, this citizen’s group has had enough, and over the last two months, there has been a rigorous drive in the city to remove flex banners, with the citizens keeping a watch, even conducting night patrols to ensure hoardings aren’t put up at night on the sly.

Fed up with flex hoardings destroying the city skyline, this Bengaluru initiative has had enough.Image Credit: Piyush Fatehpuria

According to a report in the Bengaluru Mirror, #FlexPoliticsBeda has around 30 volunteers and conducts drives in Jayanagar, Corporation Circle, and the CBD zones. Lead campaigner, and leader of the Nav Bharat Democratic Party, Anil Shetty, said that a team of people ensures no flex banners come up again.

Complaints have been filed against violators, irrespective of political backgrounds, and the Bangalore Metropolitan Task Force (BMTF) removes the hoardings immediately.

Shetty goes on to explain that as CBD zone is a busy area, with many commercial businesses and parking restrictions, where putting up flex banners is an offence. Illegal flex banners have ruined the city’s look.

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagare Palike (BBMP), and Bengaluru Mayor R Sampath have been cracking down on illegal flex banners, thus encouraging the volunteers.

Shetty explains the team’s modus operandi, saying that four people patrol at night and the next morning, another four take over. Wherever volunteers see people putting up hoardings, they deal with them accordingly.

Fellow citizens are thrilled. Suraj Hosakote, a techie and a regular commuter loves the flex-free look of Bengaluru city.

The citizen groups have filed numerous complaints with the BMTF, against several well-known personalities, who happen to be habitual offenders.

Another resident of Jayanagar opines that these flex-promoting violators need to be booked, and they should come to remove their banners themselves.

Well, till the people who put up flex banners do not learn, the citizen’s groups will continue night patrolling, and teams of volunteers will continue to keep vigil, to ensure that the Garden City remains beautiful.

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