The hoarding policy of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will soon get nod from administration as the civic body has completed the objections and suggestions process. The new policy will pave for digital hoarding in the city.
The BMC had come up with a new hoarding policy guideline in May that featured digital hoarding with CCTV cameras to provide live feed to BMC's disaster control room.
Digital hoardings can be set up at malls, multiplexes, shopping complex, commercial buildings, petrol pumps, and all other places that have LED display boards.
The need for a new policy arose after the previous policy expired on January 10, 2018, and the High Court had issued an order in this direction and the government gave similar directions, too.
While 'Policy Guidelines for Display of Advertisements 2018' has introduced digital hoarding, it prevents political parties from putting up hoarding on lands belonging to the collector, MHADA, PWD, airport authority, and BEST undertaking, among others. During election, hoarding permission will be given as per the election's code of conduct.
The policy has also banned putting up hoardings on the terrace or roof of a building. However, vinyl wrap, graffiti, and wall painting will be permitted on dead walls. The civic body will also give 10 per cent rebate on hoardings having CCTV camera giving live feed to BMC's disaster control. Hoardings run on solar energy will also get a 10 per cent rebate in the first year. DNA had reported about BMC's plan of introducing digital hoarding in November 2017.
The permission to put up digital hoardings will be given by the Mumbai traffic police. Even existing hoardings can be converted into digital or LED ones, but traffic department permission will still be mandatory.
Meanwhile, the civic body has not changed its policy against hoardings on public recreational grounds, gardens, and building in heritage precincts. Hoardings will also not be allowed in places with high tension wires, unless an NOC is acquired from the electricity department.
The post of the official granting permission for the hoardings will depend on the size of the hoardings. Like, for advertisements above 400 sq feet, permission from the municipal commissioner will be needed. Meanwhile, the BMC has given one month's notice — from May 14, when the policy was published — to submit objections to these suggestions.
