Recently, Madhya Pradesh High Court issued notice to the State Government in a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking action against the Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) for allegedly allowing illegal hoardings and unipoles to be installed on road dividers and pedestrian footpaths across the city.

A Division Bench of Chief Justice Alpesh Yeshvant Kogje and Justice Vinay Saraf directed the petitioners to pay process fees within seven working days and ordered that the notices be made returnable within three weeks.

The PIL has been filed by two practising advocates seeking directions to the civic body to remove allegedly unauthorised advertising structures installed on road medians, footpaths and walkways. The petitioners argued that these installations violate the Madhya Pradesh Outdoor Advertisement Media Rules, 2017, and pose a threat to public safety.

According to the petition, around 58 unipoles have been installed on road dividers or medians, while another 45 have been erected on pedestrian footpaths and walkways at various locations across Indore.

To highlight the safety risks posed by these structures, the petitioners referred to a September 24, 2026, report published by Dainik Bhaskar, which stated that an allegedly illegal hoarding panel fell at Patnipura Square, affecting two-wheeler riders and pedestrians and leaving one person injured.

The petition seeks the removal of the allegedly illegal hoardings and unipoles, along with an independent inquiry or audit into the revenue collected from these installations. It also seeks interim directions restraining the authorities from permitting additional unipoles on road dividers, footpaths, traffic junctions and other traffic-sensitive locations.

The petitioners further referred to an earlier petition concerning similar installations, in which the High Court had directed the Indore Municipal Corporation to take appropriate action. That matter was subsequently disposed of after the Court was informed that the civic body had constituted a committee comprising 22 Zonal Officers, 22 Additional Revenue Inspectors and Market Department staff to examine the installations under the 2017 Rules.

In the present proceedings, the High Court has directed the respondents to submit a report detailing the action taken pursuant to the earlier directions. The Court also stated that the authorities would verify violations of the rules concerning the installation of unipoles on road dividers and pedestrian footpaths in Indore.

Advocate Abhinav Dhanodkar appeared for the petitioners, Government Advocate Pradyumna Kibe represented the State, and Advocate Shashank Shrivastava appeared for the Indore Municipal Corporation.