KOCHI: In an effort to enhance Kochi’s aesthetic appeal and improve safety, the corporation is planning to remove illegal and hazardous hoardings and install 50 digital billboards across the city.
“In the initial stage, we will remove unauthorised hoardings. Our officials noticed hoardings installed even on buildings that are structurally unstable. These pose a threat to public safety. We will be sending notices to advertisers seeking removal of unauthorised hoardings at the earliest,” said J Sanilmon, chairman of the corporation’s town planning standing committee.
As many as 50 LED billboards will be installed in different parts of the city. “We are currently conducting a trial run of six boards. We have been working on identifying locations for hoardings to address the issue. Once the boards are installed, advertisers can utilise them by paying for them,” he said.
“There are two models. At Kacheripady, Woodlands Junction and opposite Central Square Mall we have installed semi-static boards. The other three boards -- at High Court Junction, Menaka, Kadavanthra -- are fully dynamic,” said an official in charge of setting up new boards. According to Dr D Dhanuraj, founder of the Centre for Policy Research, the billboards will also be a source of revenue for the corporation. “The initiative can help in revenue generation. However, the decisions on pricing and guidelines should be transparent. Moreover, not everyone, particularly smaller companies, may be able to access the advertising boards,” he said.
In March, the Kerala High Court had termed unauthorised hoardings, flags, festoons and other items in public places as illegal. The court held that people, including advertisers and printers, who put up such installations are liable to be fined.
However, according to Sanilmon, while the corporation removes hoardings, fresh ones keep sprouting. “Ensuring compliance and collecting fines from violators is a challenge.