Display of Advertisements at Select Places in Bhubaneswar

BMC Commissioner will identify and publish the list of designated places in each of the 67 Municipal Wards

BHUBANESWAR: Advertisements and hoardings will be permitted only at designated places in the City. A set of regulations on display of advertisements, passed by Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Thursday has restricted the advertisements to identified places.

BMC Commissioner will identify and publish the list of designated places in each of 67 Municipal Wards. The Commissioner will prepare a Ward-wise ‘Advertisement Plan’ to regulate advertising activities within the area and jurisdiction of the Corporation.

As per the plan, each Ward shall identify ‘designated advertisement zones’ where advertisements shall be permitted and ‘no hoarding or advertisement zones’ where advertisements shall be restricted.

The plan, within each designated advertisement zone, shall identify Municipal sites to be used for the purpose. Further, advertisement on private sites will be allowed only after obtaining a licence from the Commissioner.

Advertisement at no hoarding zone will be allowed only in special cases and events where the Commissioner by a special order would allow it for a particular period of time.

No person will be allowed to carry out the business of promotion of advertisement unless he is registered as an advertiser with BMC under the new regulations. It will be mandatory for the advertiser to display his/her name, registration number, licence number and month and year of expiry of the licence at the top right corner of the advertisement sign.

The advertiser would be responsible for maintaining the advertisement sign and the surroundings in neat condition, both structurally and aesthetically.

“The steps have been initiated to provide a regulatory framework for outdoor advertising in accordance with provisions of the Odisha Municipal Corporation Act and effectively implement the Advertisement Policy for Urban Odisha, 2013,” a senior BMC official said.

Recognising the rights of pedestrians and motorists, the by-law has stated that no pillars, hoardings and arches should be erected in the city obstructing vehicular movement or passage of pedestrians.

The legislation has also specified the measurements for advertisement boards including the ones set up on top of buildings. Posters for which clearance has not been obtained will be treated as unauthorised ones and penal action, as prescribed by the Odisha Municipal Corporation Act, will be initiated, sources said.

The permission of BMC Commissioner would be required to display advertisements within the Corporation area including public places, private holdings, buildings, walls and gas balloons.

BMC has slapped a prohibition on obscene and banned advertisements. The new regulation applies for vehicle-mounted display boards too. The owners of such vehicles will be identified and they have to pay tax and get BMC’s clearance for displaying the advertisements within City limits.

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