On May 13, 2024 occurred a massive hoarding, measuring 120 x 140 feet, had collapsed on the GRP ground in Ghatkopar area of eastern suburbs of Mumbai due to strong winds, leading to the death of 17 people
The BMC on Thursday issued advertising guidelines 2025. Representational Pic/File/iStock
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Thursday issued advertising guidelines 2025 to regulate outdoor advertising across Mumbai, around 18 months after the tragic Ghatkopar hoarding collapse incident that killed 17 people.
The new guidelines introduce stricter rules for hoardings, including:
- Hoarding size limit: No hoarding larger than 40 × 40 ft.
- Location restrictions: New advertisements are banned on footpaths and building terraces.
- Digital hoardings: Brightness capped at a 3:1 luminance ratio, with automatic timers mandatory. Digital hoardings must turn off after 11 p.m., and flickering ads are not permitted.
- Permit validity: Permits now expire three months after the issue date instead of six months.
The new policy states that advertisements may be displayed at malls, multiplexes, shopping complexes, commercial buildings, petrol stations, and on buildings under construction or renovation. Special shapes like V, L, triangular, square, pentagonal, and hexagonal structures will require No Objection Certificates (NOCs) from the traffic police.
Under the new guidelines, digital hoardings must adhere to strict safety and operational rules.
All digital and LED hoardings must be equipped with automatic timers, and they are not allowed to operate after 11 pm.
Additionally, installing or illuminating such hoardings requires a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic).
Hoardings located near high-tension wires must also obtain a separate NOC from the relevant electricity authority. These measures aim to enhance public safety, reduce light pollution, and regulate digital advertising across Mumbai.
The new policy also states the following-
- Zone-based size restrictions across Mumbai, allowing larger hoardings within BMC jurisdiction.
- NOCs for hoardings near high-tension wires and for illuminated/digital hoardings from the Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic).
- Blacklisting for advertisers who repeatedly violate rules, including non-payment of fees.
- Online services for permit issuance, renewal, and appeals to the Joint/Deputy Municipal Commissioner (Special) level.
The policy further states that the advertisements on BMC premises will be allotted through e-tenders, requiring a one-year bank guarantee and insurance coverage of Rs 5 lakh to 1 crore, Hoardings installed by MMRDA, MSRDC, or other government authorities will now share 30 per cent revenue with BMC, down from 50 per cent and existing hoardings on the Eastern and Western Express Highways will not be renewed after expiry.
The new policy follows recommendations from a committee of IIT Bombay experts, environmental specialists, police officials, and civic authorities, submitted after Ghatkopar hoarding collapse incident.
On May 13, 2024 occurred a massive hoarding, measuring 120 x 140 feet, had collapsed on the GRP ground in Ghatkopar area of eastern suburbs of Mumbai due to strong winds, leading to the death of 17 people and injuries to more than 80.
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