BBMP drafts new ad policy, aims to earn Rs 500 cr annually

Bengaluru: Commercial hoardings are set to make a comeback in Bengaluru with the BBMP drafting a new policy to replace a six-year-old bylaw that banned most outdoor advertisements. 

The move comes nearly a year after the High Court of Karnataka ruled in favour of outdoor advertisements on private premises by imposing certain restrictions. 

Sources said the Urban Development Department (UDD) was vetting a draft policy that overrules the historic resolution passed by the BBMP council in 2018. The government is likely to announce the same in the state budget. 

As per the policy, the BBMP will tender out advertisement rights to the highest bidder. The fee as well as the size of the hoarding will be fixed based on the road width. While no hoarding will be allowed on footpaths, advertisers will have to negotiate with private property owners to erect the hoardings. The policy also allows illuminated boards but will likely ban moving films. 

Senior officials expect the new advertisement policy to fetch the BBMP Rs 500 crore in annual revenue. 

At present, only a few players have bagged advertisement rights in Bengaluru in exchange for building facilities such as skywalks, public toilets and bus shelters. As all other forms of commercial ads are banned, these players are reportedly selling the hoardings for a premium. 

A BBMP official said the civic body could build such infrastructure from its own funds if the new policy comes into force without undertaking public-private partnership (PPP) projects. 

The very reason why the BBMP council decided to ban outdoor advertising in Bengaluru was the authorities' failure to collect licence fees from advertising agencies. An internal report in 2018 showed that the civic body may have lost over Rs 2,000 crore in revenue by allowing illegal advertisements. 

Following the ban, the Outdoor Advertising Association, Bengaluru, challenged the validity of the BBMP Outdoor Signage and Public Messaging Byelaws 2019. In March 2023, the high court ruled in favour of the association and directed the BBMP to permit outdoor advertisements on private properties by "imposing such restrictions to achieve the object and intent of the bye-laws 2018. The said exercise shall be concluded within three months from the date of uploading this order to the high court website." 

"The new policy is being brought to accommodate hoardings. The BBMP council had decided to ban them. According to the 74th Amendment of the Constitution, Urban Local Bodies have the right to decide about the aesthetics of the city. The council resolution is sacrosanct,” a BBMP official said. “Without the hoardings, Bengaluru looks cleaner and greener.”