The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Ban on hoardings restricted to 19 roads

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Tuesday, Aug 26, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Ban on hoardings restricted to 19 roads

Special Correspondent

Hoardings to be allowed on roads in zones C and D
BBMP to evolve policy to regulate advertisements

BANGALORE: The State Government has lifted the blanket ban on hoardings and advertisements in Bangalore. It has, instead, restricted the ban to 19 roads in zones A and B in the city.

Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa on Monday instructed the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) not to issue fresh permits for putting up advertisement hoardings on the 19 roads or renew existing permits. However, existing hoardings will be allowed on those roads till the existing permits expire.

Meeting

Mr. Yeddyurappa, who chaired a meeting attended by BBMP Commissioner S. Subramanya and Urban Development Department officials, told presspersons that the BMMP would issue permits to put up advertisements on 71 roads falling under zone C and 72 roads in zone D. The BBMP would evolve a comprehensive policy to regulate advertisements and earmark places for them, he said.

As on August 8, there were 2,789 authorised hoardings, 363 unauthorised hoardings and 142 hoardings that were under litigation. Action would be taken against those firms who installed more hoardings than they had been permitted to, he said.

Advertisement hoardings fetched Rs. 6 crore in revenue for the BBMP in 2006-07 and Rs. 91 crore in 2007-08. The revenue would cross Rs. 100 crore in the current fiscal year, the Chief Minister said.

The Government has decided to build 1,400 bus-stops, 53 skywalks and a large number of toilets in Bangalore.

Advertisements would be allowed at the bus-stops and along the skywalks, Mr. Yeddyurappa said.

Ad-free zones

The premises of the Karnataka High Court, the Vidhana Soudha, the Vikasa Soudha, the Legislators’ Home and the Karnataka Public Service Commission have been declared advertisement-free zones.

Referring to installation of hoardings by political parties and their leaders, he said parties would be allowed to put up hoardings only on two days: a day before the programme and on the programme day.

The BMMP had been directed to remove all unauthorised hoardings in Bangalore. But several firms, which had put up illegal hoardings, had gone to the court and brought stay orders. “Nobody follows the BBMP’s bylaws and guidelines,” the Chief Minister said.

Asked whether the new directions would be applicable to other cities in the State, Mr. Yeddyurappa said the directions were being enforced in all areas coming under the BBMP.

Zone A

The 10 roads that come under zone A are Kumara Krupa Road; Windsor Manor junction to Shivananda Circle; Raj Bhavan Road; High Grounds to Minsk Square; Ambedkar Veedhi; K.R. Circle to Infantry Road junction; Post Office Road; K.R. Circle to SBM (K.G. Road); Chalukya Circle; Maharani’s College Road; K.R. Circle; environs of Cubbon Park and Lalbagh; Nrupathunga Road; K.R. Circle to Police Corner junction; Palace Road; and SBM Circle to Chalukya Circle.

Zone B

The nine roads under zone B are Sheshadri Road; Racecourse Road junction to K.R. Circle; Kamaraj Road; M.G. Road to Dickenson Road junction; Queen’s Circle to M.G. Road junction; Minsk Square to Dickenson Road junction; M.G. Road; Bridage Road; M.G. Road to Residency Road junction; R.V. Road; Commercial Street; Residency Road to Vellara junction.

The Chief Minister said some of the roads in zones C and D would be brought under zones A and B soon.

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