The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Stability certificates must for signboards?

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Friday, Jun 15, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Stability certificates must for signboards?

Ad agencies come under GHMC scanner

Boards should not jut onto roads or sidewalks
Uni-poles will attract punitive action

HYDERABAD: The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) is contemplating seeking structural stability certificates for all signboards too of a particular size and fixed above 30 ft from the ground level on commercial complexes.

Earlier, it has ordered all hoardings and unipoles to comply with such norms. Signboards are likely to be brought under this rule following the tragic death of a person last week when one such board crashed on him.

Additional Commissioner (Advertisements) N.V.S. Reddy said that there was resistance from the shopkeepers and other businessmen when an effort was made to bring signboards under the advertisement tax net so that there could be some control.

But, now he feels the time has come to act tough and structural stability certificate might be sought for any signboard of more than 6 x 4 ft.

“We have noticed many signboards were as big as the hoardings themselves and there was a danger to public safety. The killer signboard was about 12 x 5 ft,” he pointed out.

GHMC has already asked advertising agencies to submit structural stability certificates for all hoardings and unipoles within a fortnight together with proof-checks by civil engineering departments of OU, JNTU, Vasavi and CBIT.

A single vinyl material should be on the hoardings that can be torn easily during heavy winds. For unipoles, they can have such material on three sides and overall height should not be more than 80 ft from ground. And a strict no for any kind of metal sheet on these two.

Prescribed sizes

These should not jut onto the roads or sidewalks while sticking to the prescribed sizes of 60 x 25 ft and 40 x 40 ft, respectively.

“Wider ones will be more stable but oversized hoardings or uni-poles will attract punitive action including the prospect of agencies being blacklisted,” said Mr. Reddy.

All bare structures currently standing in different areas would have to conform to the new sizes before any advertisement is put up.

GHMC is expected to submit salient features of its new hoardings/ unipoles’ policy.

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