Illegal Delhi billboards to go

Illegal hoardings in Delhi may soon be a thing of the past with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi's (MCD) plan to construct billboards at different zones where posters and hoardings can be pasted legally … but at a price.

The move came in the wake of a public interest litigation filed by a non-government organisation (NGO), Common Cause, against illegal hoardings and glow signs that posed a potential distraction to motorists.

The NGO sought the removal of all such hoardings and cut-outs from bus shelters, electric poles and roads.

The Delhi High Court then issued notices to the Federal government, Delhi government, MCD and the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) directing them to file their replies.

Says MCD's standing committee chairman, Ram Babu Sharma: "We have identified 25-30 sites in each zone wherein billboards will be erected. Once the first phase is over, these billboards will be handed over to the legally registered resident welfare associations (RWAs) and non-government organisations (NGOs) for maintenance and allowing advertisers to put up posters or hoardings legally."

According to him the entire procedure should not take more than a couple of months. He said the MCD had scrapped the earlier scheme to allow hoardings in parks and construct notice boards in colonies for residents to put up posters.

"All I can say is that the scheme failed miserably. Except the Rotary Club which took up the maintenance work seriously, none of the private agencies took interest."

The MCD had already identified more than 150 localities in the city where civic authorities were to construct walls for posters. Ward committees comprising local councillors had been involved in identifying the sites in each ward, but the scheme failed to take off.

Now, in a bid to boost its sagging revenues and prevent defacing walls, the MCD is set to provide legitimate sites for advertising. And this time it means business.

Says Sharma: "Once the scheme is launched, no one will be allowed to deface public property in the entire city."

Offenders face action for defacement of public property under the West Bengal Prevention of Defacement of Property Act, 1976, which has been extended to Delhi. According to the Act, defacement of public property invites a fine of Rs 1,000, imprisonment or both.

But the lackadaisical attitude of the civic authorities has ensured that till now the offenders have got away without punishment. The offenders come from diverse backgrounds, including corporate houses, spiritual leaders and even the Delhi Police.

The MCD has on several occasions lodged complaints with the police against owners of outdoor advertising agencies whose hoardings come crashing down due to strong winds in many parts of the city endangering the lives of the people.

An MCD official blamed the advertising agencies saying: "We ask them to submit applications for erecting hoardings but they refuse to do so and generally use political clout to have their way."

The advertising agencies claim that the MCD wants to squeeze money out of them by implementing the inspection rule. To this the civic agency official retorts: "There is no question of bribing. Everything is on paper and we do so keeping the interest of citizens in mind."

But reality speaks speaks for itself. Bus stops all over the city have advertisements in bright hues protruding beyond the boundary of the shelter. And Gigantic banners hang over facades facing arterial roads.

Though the unauthorised pasting of posters is an offence, the civic agency official revealed his inability to bring the offenders to book.

"There are times when we cannot do anything. Political parties holding rallies in the capital deface the walls and big banners across the road pose inconvenience to commuters, but no one complains against the political parties. The same goes for religious hoardings.

"In fact, it is being planned to identify a few locations in each ward where commercial advertising would be permitted at a cost," he said.

Another official cited the example of big banners put up in the vicinity of the Red Fort in Old Delhi and another at Rohini in west Delhi, highlighting the achievements of political leaders. "Not only that, in blatant misuse of the court directions, the name of the sponsors are also highlighted in bold letters on the hoardings."

Advocate for Common Cause, Meera Bhatia says, "According to rules, hoardings cannot be set up within 100 metres of school, colleges and educational institutions. But despite this, one finds advertisers flouting the rules with no one to keep a check on them."

Common Cause alleged that government officers had granted contracts to defaulting companies allowing them to put up billboards in violation of rules and guidelines. It alleged that the MCD and DTC had been losing revenue worth millions of rupees due to these irregularities.

Bhatia stated that at several places generators were being used to light up advertisement boards adding to pollution.

The PIL urged the court to direct the authorities to lay down guidelines while awarding contracts to advertisers and blacklist defaulting companies which have misappropriated public money by not paying advertisement tax.

The court had restricted hoardings near roads since these were found to be distracting motorists. But according to MCD officials, "The proposal of installing advertising boards in and around residential areas would not invite any adverse action from the apex court."

The move could well be termed as an extension of the beautification drive in the city. Going by the estimate, it would cost the MCD a few million rupees to construct and erect billboards. But finances notwithstanding, it plans to cash in on its initiative, which is being seen as a long-term investment.