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BMC reviewing feedback from OOH ad agencies, will exclude central agencies
The BMC officials are reviewing the feedback given by multiple stakeholders to frame a policy on hoardings.
The Maharashtra government recently initiated the long-pending electoral process for 29 municipal corporations, including Mumbai, following a Supreme Court directive mandating the notification and completion of polls within four months.
Over four months after the Ghatkopar hoarding collapse, which killed 17 people and injured 80 others, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has yet to implement a comprehensive Out of Home (OOH) advertising policy. BMC officials are currently reviewing feedback and suggestions from OOH agencies and plan to exclude central agencies from the policy’s scope.
Outdoor advertising agencies and associations have claimed that the BMC has been unresponsive to their requests for in-person meetings to discuss their concerns about the recently released draft OOH policy. The newly drafted and revised policy has drawn mixed reactions from the advertising industry and sparked debates about the clarity of its guidelines.
When asked if the BMC is considering scrapping the OOH ad policy, Kiran Dighavkar, DMC (Special), stated, "We are reviewing the feedback and suggestions from stakeholders. There are no plans to scrap the OOH ad policy. We are ensuring that all relevant and legal measures are in place."
Another senior BMC official added, "The suggestions and feedback submitted by the OOH agencies and central agencies are under review. We will exclude central government agencies from the policy’s scope, as it conflicts with existing laws and court orders."
The official also mentioned, "We will soon convene a meeting with stakeholders. We have already identified certain changes that need to be made in the draft policy."
However, an OOH agency owner, speaking anonymously, said, "We work closely with the railways on OOH ad installations, and the BMC seems desperate to include central agencies like the railways in their OOH policy. Multiple senior railway officials have said that BMC is trying to leverage on the Ghatkopar incident to include the central agencies."
The Indian Outdoor Advertising Association had requested that the BMC extend the deadline for submitting suggestions by two months. The draft policy, released on August 9, was initially open for public suggestions until August 26, 5 PM. The deadline was later extended to September 9.
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