After 7 year ban, Bengaluru civic body plans to bring back hoardings using 2018 policy: Report

BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath said that the absence of ad-based income is proving costly.

Bengaluru’s skyline, free of towering hoardings for nearly seven years, may soon change. Faced with mounting revenue losses, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is now considering a legal workaround to bring commercial advertisements back, this time under the framework of its 2018 signage bye-laws, according to a Deccan Herald report.

The move comes as the civic body waits for the Karnataka High Court’s verdict on a new advertising policy introduced by the state government in 2024. (ANI)

The move comes as the civic body waits for the Karnataka High Court’s verdict on a new advertising policy introduced by the state government in 2024.

With no clarity on when the court will clear the policy, senior BBMP officials are reportedly keen to rely on the older bye-laws to tap into an estimated ₹750 crore in annual revenue from outdoor ads.

BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath confirmed to Deccan Herald that the absence of ad-based income is proving costly. “We are incurring significant losses due to the absence of advertisement revenue,” he said.

In the current fiscal (2024–25), BBMP had projected ad revenues of ₹500 crore, but earned nothing, as the 2024 policy was approved halfway through the financial year and is now stalled due to ongoing litigation.

Public anger over flex banner collapse

Recently, a flex banner put up to celebrate the birthdays of Vijayanagar MLA M Krishnappa and his son, Govindarajanagar MLA Priya Krishna, collapsed during a spell of rain and strong winds in Bengaluru, causing injuries and sparking public outrage.

The incident occurred in Byatarayanapura area. According to the local traffic police, four people were affected, two sustained minor injuries, while two others were more seriously hurt.

The banner fell on a car, damaging the vehicle and leading to a brief disruption in traffic movement.

Meanwhile, the citizens took to social media to express anger over the unchecked proliferation of political banners across the city. Many questioned the authorities' failure to enforce existing laws, especially given the dangers posed by such illegal hoardings during unpredictable weather.