Cut-out season is here again

Coimbatore: Giant cut-outs of political leaders are back on roads, despite several directions by courts restraining political parties from erecting them.
Residents of Coimbatore woke up on Friday to see the city roads lined up with several flex boards and larger-than-life cut-outs of chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, who landed here for a two-day campaign on Friday.
In Selvapuram, AIADMK men had erected 40ft high cut-outs of EPS, his deputy O Panneerselvam and local administration minister S P Velumani, along with late chief ministers MGR and J Jayalalithaa. Several stretches in suburbs and along the campaign route of EPS were dotted by digital flex boards.
“Roads were dug up to erect cut-outs and flex boards, blocking the path,’’ Singanallur MLA N Karthik said.
The paraphernalia have been put up despite the Madras high court, as well as Madurai bench of the HC, restraining political parties not to erect banners that pose danger to the public.
The court had come down heavily on political parties in the wake of the death of Subashree, a 23-year-old Chennai-based techie, after a banner erected by AIADMK men fell on her in 2019.
In 2017, Raghupahy, a 30-year-old techie died after his motorcycle rammed an illegally-erected arch on the Avinashi Road in Coimbatore. Shortly afterwards, a young girl on a scooter fell on the Avinashi Road, allegedly after she tried to avoid hitting a flagpole.
Coimbatore corporation commissioner P Kumaravel Pandian told TOI that applications seeking permission for erecting cut-outs are dealt at zonal offices of the corporation. South zone assistant commissioner T R Ravi, under whose jurisdiction Selvapuram falls, said applicants had sought permission from the town planning officer and it was the TPO who handled the applications. Town planning officer Sasipriya could not be reached to find out if permission was sought by AIADMK men for putting up the giant cut-outs.
Activists and opposition parties question the rationale behind erecting giant cut-outs, even if permission is obtained. “Courts have directed that hoardings, banners and cut-outs that could distract motorists and hinder vehicle movement should not be erected. Despite the orders, AIADMK men have brazenly put them up,’’ Karthik said.