A KMC official said the civic body could not remove hoardings from the BBD Bag area, which has been named a world heritage zone, thanks to resistance from the PWD. "Though several agencies have responded to our appeal and removed their hoardings from near heritage buildings in BBD Bag, some hoardings are still standing because the PWD has given them a clean chit," said a KMC official.

Mayor Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya, however, said all hoardings need to be shifted from BBD Bag, as it is a heritage zone. "I will take the matter up with the minister concerned so that KMC faces no hindrance when it tries to remove hoardings from BBD Bag area," he said.

Private advertisement agencies are also loath to bring down their ads, some even from heritage buildings. One such hoarding from Park Mansion on Park Street was removed by KMC's advertisement department during a recent drive.