Time to bid adieu to unauthorised hoardings ?

Time to bid adieu to unauthorised hoardings ?
Deccan Herald

June 30, 2006, will be a decisive day for BMP. The cash-strapped civic body is at its own free will to pull down unauthorised hoardings dotting the city’s landscape. The year-long license period for commercial hoardings expires on July 1.

“It’s about time we tackled the menace of unauthorised hoardings,” said BMP Commissioner K Jairaj, adding that strict action will be initiated against illegal hoardings from July 1. “Thirty days’ time will be given to renew the licenses for unauthorised hoardings,” he added, while the huge backlog of court cases pertaining to hoardings is also a cause for worry..

Growing litigations, lapses in vigilance and inadequate byelaws (formed in 1956), have been major hurdles, according to Mayor Mumtaz Begum, who had recently inspected Koramangala to assess the extent of the menace.

While leader of the Opposition in BMP B R Nanjundappa felt that at least the violations in size had to be dealt with seriously. But the councillors are mooting for the implementation of a new ‘Advertisement byelaws 2006’, which is still on the discussion table. “The new byelaw can set new aesthetic standards for display of hoardings and at the same time augment revenue,” say councillors.

Commercial hoardings - 1,113.

Unauthorised - not mapped.

Hoardings under Stay - 683.

Expiry date for license period : July 1, 2006.