BMC’s OOH Draft Policy: Height of hoardings capped at 100 ft, no ads on footpath
The Maharashtra government may have softened its stance on the crackdown of illegal hoardings as of now by hitting the pause button, but the Out-of-Home (OOH) advertisers should brace themselves for tougher norms in the coming days, at least in Mumbai. The Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM or BMC) has come up with a few more stringent clauses in its upcoming policy to govern the OOH sector. This includes a complete ban on hoardings on footpaths and right-of-way on national highways. Height of hoardings has also been capped at 100 feet, sources privy to the development told e4m.
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At present, a huge number of hoardings have been erected on footpaths and right-of-ways near national highways which are being considered as potential risk for pedestrians and drivers. The civic body has decided that upon the expiration of the authorized period for existing permissions, these structures will be systematically phased out.
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"Besides, henceforth no new hoarding shall be permitted within 50 meters around the statues of historical/national importance personalities. No hoarding shall be permitted within 25 meters from the stop line of each approach road facing the hoardings erected on the ground level from each signal at traffic junctions," sources said. The draft policy, which is in the finalisation stage and likely to be released soon, proposes an "automatic switch off" for all digital screens (DOOH) at 11 pm. However, the BMC encourages malls, multiplexes, shopping complexes, commercial buildings and petrol pumps to apply for digital LED advertisements. Mumbai has the largest number of DOOH billboards (67) in India. The city also has more than 1,025 permitted billboards, one of the highest in the country. To nail defaulters, BMC proposes that all permits will cease to exist after three months of expiry instead of six months at present. Besides, advertisers who repeatedly violate the norms will be blacklisted. e4m had earlier reported how BMC wanted to make Mumbai completely free of rooftop hoardings. Even glass facades across the city are proposed to be free of advertisements. Instead, building compound walls and fences are likely to be permitted to have billboards. The e4m report also mentioned that the draft policy mandates third party insurance and QR codes carrying all information about the concerned agency. It stipulates a minimum 70 meters distance between two large hoardings and a maximum width of 40 feet. It also talks about 30m distance between small boards and stationary vehicles, and 10 ft for skywalks and foot over-bridges. Weeks after the Ghatkopar hoarding tragedy, Mumbai's civic body had swung into action and started preparing a stringent draft policy for the OOH sector. e4m has compiled some of the new provisions proposed in the upcoming policy. The list below is non-exhaustive though: 20. In case of an advertising agency in default of advertisement fee / assessment tax for any hoarding / hoardings then, no new permission will be given or existing permit will not be renewed. 21. All pending proposals for new hoarding will be processed as per the new policy guidelines only. 22. Permission for increase or decrease in size or shifting of hoarding, which are affected by government project can be allowed similarly permission for any addition, modification in existing hoarding can be allowed only if subject hoarding is in compliance with all provisions of Policy Guideline and there is no litigation such permission shall be granted at the level of Jt MC/DMC (spl), in charge of license dept. Meanwhile, in a related development, the Supreme Court has directed the Central and Western Railways and others to follow ‘in letter and spirit’ the notice issued by the BMC’s Disaster Management Authority to remove oversized and unauthorised hoardings erected on railway premises. BMC had issued the notice on May 15, two days after the Ghatkopar hoarding collapse on May 13. The notice asked advertisers and railway authorities to immediately remove oversized (more than 40 x 40 feet) hoardings in railway premises adjoining municipal roads, private lands and structures.
What is new in the new policy?
SC Direction to Railways
Tags : Ooh Bmc Billboards Outdoor Advertising Hoardings