NEW DELHI: Walking across the streets of Delhi, one can see numerous large structures erected along roads for advertisements. These poles, often placed on footpaths, can pose hazards by obstructing pedestrian movement and, in the event of a collapse, causing major traffic disruptions.
Despite restrictions under the Delhi Outdoor Advertising Policy 2017 that prohibit installing unipoles for advertisements on footpaths, many parts of the city continue to feature large advertising unipoles.
A spot check conducted by the newspaper at several locations revealed violations, particularly in the placement of these structures on footpaths. The policy explicitly states that any large-format outdoor advertising device, such as billboards or unipoles, “can be permitted three metres after the footpath, as measured from its edge.”
However, most of the locations visited by this correspondent showed clear non-compliance with this rule. Many of these structures are officially approved by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), yet they do not adhere to the prescribed guidelines.
Among the sites inspected were areas just outside Delhi’s Civic Centre on Minto Road. While the unipoles there did not block pedestrian movement, they clearly violated the requirement of being placed three metres away from the road, which experiences regular and often heavy traffic.
Just recently, a plea was filed in the Delhi High Court against the civic body, alleging that it has undermined the Outdoor Advertisement Policy 2017, which the SC had mandated for “immediate implementation” nearly nine years ago.
The plea, filed by the Centre for Youth Culture Law and Environment (CYCLE), raises concerns about violations of advertisement regulations in the city. It highlights permissions granted for prohibited devices—such as unipoles on footpaths and building wraps—that lead to traffic hazards.
A member of the organisation that filed the PIL said, “Massive unipoles installed directly on footpaths create life-threatening barriers for the elderly, children, and the differently-abled and are in violation of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016.”
Visual evidence of such violations was also observed in areas like Rajinder Nagar. There have also been multiple instances in the city where these large structures have collapsed onto roads, disrupting traffic.
The Outdoor Advertising Policy provides a framework for the placement of advertisements in Delhi’s public spaces. However, ground-level inspections continue to reveal gaps in its implementation.