The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has initiated legal action against 1,423 establishments across Mumbai for failing to display Marathi signboards, as part of an ongoing enforcement drive launched in November 2023.
Civic authorities have also issued notices to 3,774 shops and commercial establishments and collected penalties amounting to Rs 1.05 crore during the crackdown. Mumbai currently has more than five lakh registered shops and business establishments.
The issue was recently discussed during a civic law committee meeting, where Tejinder Singh Tiwana criticised the BMC’s enforcement approach. He alleged that the administration was selectively targeting small traders while avoiding action against influential establishments such as luxury hotels and industrial units.
Responding to the criticism, Deputy Mayor and Sanjay Ghadi warned that businesses failing to comply with the Marathi signboard rule within a month would face strict “Shiv Sena-style action.”
To strengthen implementation, the BMC has deployed 60 inspectors across ward and zonal offices. Each official has reportedly been assigned the task of inspecting nearly 50 establishments daily to monitor compliance with the signage regulation.
According to civic officials, out of the 1,423 establishments booked for violations, 395 have challenged the action in local courts, while 1,014 business owners have agreed to comply with the directive and install Marathi signboards.
The enforcement process begins with the civic body issuing notices to non-compliant establishments. If businesses fail to respond, the BMC imposes a fine of Rs 2,000 per registered employee and grants an additional seven days for compliance. Continued violations can result in the civic body approaching local courts and seeking suspension of business operations until the required signboards are installed.
A senior civic official stated that while some establishments opted to contest the notices legally, the majority eventually complied with the regulation issued by the municipal administration.
The enforcement drive is part of broader efforts to ensure implementation of Marathi language signage rules across commercial establishments in Mumbai.
Source: Mumbai Live
