KOCHI: Even as Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) are engaged in discussions on the issue of the metro agency placing advertisement boards on metro pillars to generate non-ticketing revenue, as many as four display boards were found removed and wires supplying power to light them up tampered with, at Pathadipalam.
This prompted KMRL to lodge a petition with the City Police Commissioner. Apart from pulling down the display boards on pillars 379 and 380, miscreants damaged the electric box and power cables attached to the pillars, disrupting power supply to not just the boards but also streetlights in the area.
“The metro pillars and the land on which they stand are properties of the Kochi metro, and we have absolute right over them under the Metro Act. Such advertisements are aplenty in the Delhi metro pillars. This inalienable right has been infringed upon now. We have not named any individual or agency in the police complaint, since there is no proof as of now. This is nothing but vandalism of public property, a grave offence,” metro sources said.
Loss to the tune of ₹2 lakh has been assessed, they added.