Marathi Signboards Mandatory in Mumbai, BMC Warns of Strict Action Against Violators

Mumbai Deputy Mayor Sanjay Ghadi has asked shops and other establishments, including five-star hotels and celebrity-owned outlets, to prominently display signboards in Marathi within a month and warned of a “Shiv Sena-style” response if the directive was not followed. Speaking to reporters after a meeting with officials of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) shops and establishments department on Wednesday, Ghadi insisted Marathi signboards in Devanagari script were mandatory as per Supreme Court directives.

Strict action would be initiated against violators, the Shiv Sena corporator said. He warned that if establishments failed to install prominently visible Marathi signboards within a month, workers of his outfit would respond “in Shiv Sena-style” as per directions of party president Minister Eknath Shinde, who is Maharashtra’s deputy chief minister.Mumbai has around nine lakh shops and establishments, of which 5,020 have still not complied with the rule mandating display of Marathi signboards, the deputy mayor maintained. The civic body has so far taken penal action against 3,114 establishments and recovered fines amounting to Rs 1.91 crore, he said.

“Whether it is a five-star hotel or any other establishment, Marathi signboards are compulsory,” Ghadi said, adding inspections must be carried out to check compliance. He warned that officials ignoring enforcement action would also face action. BMC law committee chairperson Diksha Karkar, who was also present on the occasion, said instructions had been issued to the administration to serve notices to establishments that had not yet received them and seek compliance within a month. Karkar said that she has directed officials to compile names of non-compliant establishments, submit a report within 15 days on the action taken, and initiate further action after the one-month deadline.MNS corporator Yashwant Killedar also supported the issue during the Standing Committee meeting and said BMC officials should not delay implementation and must take strict action against establishments violating the norms.