New ad bylaws come into force in City

New ad bylaws come into force in City
Deccan Herald

The new advertisement bylaws providing for zonal regulation of hoardings came into effect in Bangalore on Friday. The government notification on the same had been issued in October.

The new advertisement bylaws providing for zonal regulation of hoardings came into effect in Bangalore on Friday. The government notification on the same had been issued in October.

The Bangalore Mahanagara Palike, which had earlier noted that a separate enforcement cell will be formed for the enforcement of new rules has decided to rely on its Bangalore Metropolitan Task Force itself for the moment.

It is learnt that the BMP has, however, hired three agencies - one for each of its three zones- for help in identifying and removing hoardings that do not meet the new clauses. The effects of the new bylaws may be felt across the City in about a week’s time, BMP officials said.

The BMP has made it known that the various agencies have to file fresh applications for putting up hoardings. As on date there are 947 commercial hoardings across the City.

BMP Commissioner K Jairaj had recently noted that with the coming into effect of new bylaws, all pending court cases on illegal hoardings will be nullified.

“We are sourcing the applications. Preference will be given to the existing ones, where the agencies have taken the trouble to suitably modify the hoarding measure (size and height) and are seen to meet the rules” official sources said on Friday.

Zonal regulation of hoardings (including their ban in select areas) is a salient feature of the new bylaws. Shop front advertisements are also slotted to be taxed under it.

Highlights

* Four zonal regulation of hoardings (Zone A, B, C and D): Hoardings banned in areas blocked as Zone A. Both size and height specific restrictions in areas under Zones B and C. Only size restrictions in Zone D, no bar on height.

* Shifting the location and transfer of licence not allowed once licence is granted to an agency.

* Film theatre owners shall enroll with the BMP as commercial advertisers. So also the cable TV operators in the BMP limits.

* Advertisements on Petrol Bunks classified as self advertisements. But displays of products and services that are not directly provided by its principal owner shall be treated as commercial advertisement.

* Advertisement agencies shall give priority to Kannada language in their displays.

* Commercial establishments, MNCs, manufacturers, traders, builders, developers, hospitals, state and central government undertakings shall obtain written permission from BMP Commissioner before erecting self hoardings.

*Agencies erecting hoardings or displays on the land belonging to authorities like Railways, HAL etc shall inform the BMP in advance.

The four zones

Zone A: (parts of Raj Bhavan Road, Vidhana Soudha limits, Ambedkar Veedhi, K R Circle, Basaveshwara Circle, Cubbon Park and Lalbagh limits etc.,): Hoardings and all others of its ilk are banned.

Zone B: (Kamaraj Road, M G Road and Brigade Road etc): The maximum height for hoardings limited to 40 ft from the ground.

Zone C: (Mekhri Circle, Yeshwanthpur Circle, Sampige Road- Malleshwaram, Race Course Road, Cunningham Road etc): The maximum height for hoardings limited to 50 ft from the ground.

Zone D: (Mathikere Main Road, Pottery Road, Bull Temple Road etc): No height restrictions for hoardings.