Civic body mulls changes in policy for ad hoardings

Pune: The Pune Municipal Corporation has planned some changes to the advertisement hoarding policy to minimize the risk posed to public safety.

Under the new rules being considered, a two-time safety audit will be made mandatory for every hoarding. Advertisers must now take a safety certificate twice a year. Also, the survey of safety features of all 1,188 hoardings will be done on an annual basis.

As per PMC officials, the decision was taken after the accident in October, when a hoarding near the June Bazaar came crashing down on the road, killing four people and injuring seven.

The Skysign and Licence Department of the PMC is controlled by the additional municipal commissioner. The department approves the erection of different types of advertising hoardings and flexes at various places in the city, under section 244 of the Maharashtra Municipal Corporation Act, 1949. As per section 245, action is taken to remove unauthorized hoardings.

“The PMC has started taking action against illegal hoardings. Such hoardings placed in different areas of the city have been pulled down. New features have been introduced in the policy to make these advertising boards safer,” said Vijay Dahibhate, head of the skysign department.

Dahibate said the move is aimed at keeping a regular check on the quality and safety of the hoardings. Officials will conduct regular inspection of these facilities. A certificate will be mandatory every six months. “Instructions have accordingly been given to the advertisers,” an official said.

Recently, the PMC had issued a public notice, telling advertisers and pandal owners to make sure they use only authorized hoardings. It had stated that the civic administration will start filing criminal cases on those who put up ads on illegal hoardings.

“The policy will prove effective when it is implemented properly. But elected members are not willing to do so. They are not approving the policy, creating hurdles in effective implementation of action against illegal hoardings,” said Qaneez Sukhrani, an activist.