Civic body wants clarity on hoardings rules-2003

Pune: Civic bodies are awaiting a State government policy for control of advertising and hoarding. Right now, civic bodies are following Mumbai Municipal Corporation (Control of Advertising and Hoarding) Rules -2003 which is ambiguous about giving permission to hoardings and Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has raised objection on two provisions. 

State government is working on policy on advertising and hoarding from 2010. However, it has not been finalised yet. Therefore, all municipal corporations are following MMC rules-2003. There are two major things which has not clear in the rules. 

The rules state that hoardings should be placed from distance of 1.50 metre from carriage width of roads. But, rules are not clear whether this takes footpath width in consideration. Normally, roads have footpath provision with 1.50 metre from both sides of roads. If the civic body considers 1.50 metre distance from carriage width of roads, it comes on the footpath. hence, it is illegal.  

Also, rules state to give permission to properties for advertising and hoardings while building permission and control rules do not allow any construction in front and side margin of any property. It means that most of the hoardings located on properties are illegal. 

A senior official of sky sign department of PMC, said, “These two provisions are not clear. We wrote a letter to state urban development (UDD) department for guidance. However, UDD have not cleared it yet.”