BBMP okays new stringent ad policy

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has approved a new advertisement policy to regulate the flex and banner menace in the city. It has tabled a new set of bylaws known as ‘BBMP Outdoor Signage and Public Messaging, 2018’ that completely bans all illegal commercial billboards and hoardings in the city. This was passed at the BBMP council meeting held on Tuesday by Mayor R Sampath Raj.

The civic body was spurred to action after the high court ordered it to make a draft to make Bengaluru free of flexes and banners. Even government offices are barred from using flex and banners for its events. “Only display boards with public messages,” he said.

The new bylaws have prioritised maintaining the aesthetics of the city, free movement of pedestrians and also reduces environmental hazards caused by plastic material over collecting revenue through advertisement tax.

“Certain features of the new policy restrict use of hoardings by commercial buildings or shops only in front of their shops,” said BBMP commissioner N Manjunath Prasad.

“And this is subject to specific rules like using 60% of the display in Kannada and sticking to the prescribed size,” he added.

However, there are certain exceptions to which the opposition party leaders objected. “The flex and banners can be put up on skywalks and bus shelters. This will have no meaning to the ban,” said Padmanabha Reddy, opposition party leader, BBMP. However, Mayor R Sampath Raj assured him that these will be amended.

The BBMP will issue a public notification inviting objections after which it will be sent to the government.

The government will finally decide on notifying the advertisement policy. The new Outdoor Signange and Public Messaging Bylaws, 2018 has fully replaced The BBMP Advertising Bye-Laws, 2006.