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The Mumbai Traffic Police Department has temporarily suspended the issuance of No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for the installation of out-of-home (OOH) hoardings in the city until the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) finalises its 2024 policy on outdoor advertising guidelines.
The BMC’s guidelines stipulate that illuminated, digital, LED or LCD advertisements cannot be displayed without an NOC from the Mumbai Traffic Police Department. Once granted, the Traffic Police Department’s NOC remains valid indefinitely unless explicitly revoked with advance notice to the BMC’s License Department.
A senior officer from the Mumbai Traffic Police Department on condition of anonymity reported that proposed policy recommendations include ensuring hoardings do not block pedestrian pathways and banning their placement on footpaths. Additionally, the department suggests prohibiting video ads, limiting gantries within city limits to traffic signage only and disallowing flasher lights on hoardings to avoid driver distraction.
In line with their ongoing efforts to regulate outdoor advertising, the Mumbai Traffic Police Department has proposed that illuminated and digital hoardings be turned off by 11 pm.
The senior officer from the department shared that all new proposals for out-of-home (OOH) hoardings are currently on hold. The freeze on issuing No Objection Certificates (NOCs) will remain in effect until the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) finalises its updated Guidelines for Display of Outdoor Advertisements for 2024.
Civic data reveals that Mumbai currently has 1,045 authorised hoardings - 573 are non-illuminated, 382 are illuminated and 70 are LED. These hoardings generated Rs 100 crore in revenue over the past year.
To refine billboard regulations, a government panel has been established. The panel includes Rakesh Kumar, an environmental specialist with a background from the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute; Avjit Maji and Nagendra Rao Velaga from IIT Bombay and Shreekumar from the Industrial Design Department.
The panel is chaired by Additional Municipal Commissioner (City) Ashwini Joshi, with Joint Police Commissioner (Traffic) Anil Kumbhare, BMC's Deputy Commissioner (Special) Kiran Dighavkar and Superintendent of License Anil Kate also serving as members.
