Guntur civic body cracks whip on unauthorised hoardings

The Guntur Municipal Corporation has decided to crack the whip on unauthorized hoardings which have cropped on all major roads in the city. Municipal Commissioner Srikesh B. Latkar issued orders on Monday to remove 636 unauthorised hoardings in the city. The GMC is planning to issue fresh tenders shortly.

“Given the size of the municipal corporation, the GMC should be earning close to ₹5 crore, but its earnings through hoardings is just ₹3 crore. We have decided to do away unauthorized hoardings and issue fresh tenders,’’ Mr. Srikesh told The Hindu on Monday. The hoardings which have come on all major roads, including roads leading to railway station and bus station complex, have not only become a bottleneck to the smooth flow of traffic but also an eye sore and a distraction for the pedestrians and commuters and a drain on the GMC exchequers.

With the prices of printing on flex banners coming down to just ₹ 7 per foot, small and big entrepreneurs have been able to erect hoardings on the main road.

The Guntur Municipal Corporation earns around ₹3 crore towards advertisement tax from the advertisement agencies, who in turn the sell the space on hoardings to the clients. The cost of a hoarding ranges from ₹15 to ₹30 per square feet.

“Unauthorised hoardings are eating into public space. The GMC which is bent rising property tax exorbitantly never bothers to take measures against violators,” says Konda Siva Rami Reddy, secretary of Avagahana.