BMC’s controversial OOH policy likely to be scrapped

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) controversial policy on outdoor advertising seems to have met an abrupt end a month after its public release. 

The BMC invited suggestions and objections on its draft policy until September 9 and was in the process of finalizing its ambitious plan, which faced strong opposition from outdoor media owners.

“The Ekntah Shinde-led Maharashtra government has directed the civic body to keep the controversial policy aside until the Bhosale Committee submits its report to the state government,” highly placed sources told e4m. 

The Bhosale committee, which is probing the Ghatkopar tragedy, is likely to submit its report in the next few weeks. Their recommendations would include fresh guidelines about the outdoor advertising sector in the state. 

A top official said, “The Bhosale committee was supposed to submit its report in a month (Aug-end). It is now expected to submit its report by the end of the month. The civic body has been asked to wait till the report comes and make required changes in its draft policy accordingly.”

Notably, BMC has allegedly suspended the approval of all new hoardings and extensions of old ones, citing an “upcoming policy.” It’s not immediately clear if this informal ban will be lifted now since the policy is in limbo.

Nevertheless, the move would effectively stall the industry, ushering in another period of uncertainty. With state elections scheduled for next month, any new policy will likely be delayed until after the formation of the next government.

Why did media owners oppose it?

The draft policy proposes several restrictions on hoarding placements which includes a cap on size (40/40 ft) and prohibiting hoardings on building terraces, construction fences, dead walls, and glass facades, footpaths, traffic islands, medians, and gantries. The policy states that licenses of all such existing hoarding will not be renewed. 

“BMC’s draft policy lacks legislative validity as well. The proposed policy has not gone through the legislative body of the BMC which is suspended for two years. Legally, their move doesn’t hold grounds,” claimed members. 

Media owners also alleged that no stakeholder was consulted for the formulation of the policy which is not only against the democratic norms but also violates the BMC’s long-standing tradition of holding discussions for any major policy. 

Members argued that the policy is nothing but a knee jerk reaction of the BMC following the Ghatkopar hoarding that killed 17 people this May. “The Ghatkopar hoarding was flouting all norms and was an illegal structure. No permitted or legal hoarding has led to any collapse or incident so far. The entire OOH industry can’t be punished for the oversight of the authorities which allowed it to run an illegal hoarding.” 

Bhosale Committee terms 

The state announced the Bhosale committee's probe on June 10, with the terms of reference released on July 29, alongside the nomination of five panel members. These members include an additional commissioner from the BMC, an additional director-general of police, a structural expert from IIT Bombay, an income-tax expert/income-tax commissioner, and a CA with expertise in economic offenses.