BMC plaques at 100 landmarks: Plan and execution poles apart, say locals

Time of India

9 hours ago

Mumbai: Over a year after BMC's legacy plaque project at 100 landmarks in D ward to promote its rich historical and cultural heritage, locals have claimed that the vision and the execution have been poles apart—that not only are footpaths now more cluttered but the signage too are difficult to read.
The ward is home to some of Mumbai's most iconic institutions like Jinnah House, Royal Opera House, Sophia College, and Babulnath and Mahalaxmi temples. The Rs 18-lakh project initially proposed installation of physical plaques on or near the landmarks, but due to concerns raised by some property owners over attaching signage directly to these buildings, BMC eventually opted for a more flexible approach: setting up slender poles on footpaths bearing the name of the institution, along with a QR code.
Scanning the QR code takes users to a webpage detailing the site's significance.
BMC began installation of the poles in Nov 2023 and completed it by March 2024. "This was a pilot project. The poles are of an average height of a person," said an official.
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Some residents pointed out that Mumbai's footpaths are already cluttered and the poles have only added to the chaos. "Just having the name on a pole serves little purpose—there should have been a brief history included.
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Most of the areas that are part of the project are busy thoroughfares where people can't stop to scan a QR code," said Sarosh Bana, who resides in D ward's Malabar Hill.
Mukul Mehra of Nepeansea Road Citizens Forum said such projects should involve locals in the planning process. "The QR codes are placed so high that scanning them is inconvenient. Even a few lines of history printed on the poles would have been more effective.
People aren't likely to stop on a busy street to scan a code and read a webpage. This concept would have worked far better in public parks, where people have the time and inclination to engage with such content," he said.
BMC officials said the shift was necessary to ensure that the project could move forward without delays. "Our goal is to raise awareness about the historical importance of specific locations in D ward. The digital format also allows us to include more detailed information than a small plaque could," said an official.
Tardeo resident Dr Nilesh Baxi said the concept was promising but its execution has fallen short. "The font is so small that you have to get really close to read it, and even then, it's difficult if there's low light. In many places, these poles have been placed right next to existing road signs with much larger lettering, making them redundant," he said.