MCG sees surge in ad revenue amid crackdown on illegal hoardings

MCG officials revealed that in addition to legal advertisement revenues, penalties imposed on illegal vendors have also contributed to the revenue hike

The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) has reported a sharp increase in advertisement revenue this year, driven by a rigorous crackdown on illegal hoardings and unlicensed vendors, which thereby boosted the number of ‘outdoor media’ permission fees collected by them, officials said. Around 600 illegal hoardings have been removed in the crackdown so far, they added.

Hoardings being removed alongside Southern Peripheral Road and Dwarka Expressway on Monday (HT Photo)

By September 2024, MCG had already collected ₹61.75 crore in advertisement revenue, surpassing last year’s total of ₹47.40 crore, officials said. Of this, ₹8.81 crore was generated in September alone, they added. MCG officials attribute the rise to stricter enforcement of advertisement regulations and penalties on unauthorised advertisers.

MCG officials revealed that in addition to legal advertisement revenues, penalties imposed on illegal vendors have also contributed to the revenue hike. So far, ₹2.44 crore has been recovered in fines from illegal advertisements up to September 2024, compared to a modest ₹15.95 lakh in 2023.

MCG Commissioner Narhari Singh Bangar attributed the increase in advertisement revenue to the corporation’s proactive measures and removal of illegal advertising structures across the city. “In the last two months alone, we have removed illegal wall wraps around 50 buildings along the highways and dismantled 200 illegal unipoles that displayed unauthorised advertisements. Our enforcement teams have identified the locations of illegal hoardings across the city, primarily on Sohna Road, Golf Course Extension Road, Southern Peripheral Road, and National Highway-48,” said Bangar.

According to the byelaws, any unipole or advertisement within the jurisdiction of MCG must have prior approval, and advertisers are required to pay a prescribed fee by applying online for permission. The MCG has made it clear that unauthorised advertisements are a punishable offence. “Landowners and advertising agencies need to obtain the necessary permissions before installing any unipole or billboard,” Bangar said.

In addition to legal revenue, MCG’s enforcement has also led to a surge in fines on illegal advertisers, officials said. Till September 2024, ₹2.44 crore was recovered from penalties, a steep increase from the ₹15.95 lakh collected in 2023. According to officials, the corporation has intensified its vigilance, registering over 30 cases and removing more than 300 illegal unipoles between January and September. Moving forward, MCG plans to impose penalties on both advertisers and landowners who permit illegal advertisements on their properties under the Haryana Municipal Advertisement Byelaws, 2022, they added.

Despite the crackdown, MCG faces ongoing challenges in maintaining control over illegal hoardings. Sanjeev Kumar Gupta, MCG executive engineer, highlighted the problem of swift reinstallation of unauthorised advertisements. “Often, within hours of removing them, advertisers put up new ads. To counter this, we have deployed teams to patrol the city at random times, including at night, to prevent and monitor these activities,” Gupta explained.