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The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is set to unveil a draft policy today, July 5, aimed at regulating and organizing out-of-home (OOH) media in Mumbai. This follows the tragic Ghatkopar hoarding collapse, which resulted in 17 fatalities and over 75 injuries.
The draft policy is anticipated to have significant implications for OOH advertising in the city. It includes stringent guidelines such as prohibiting hoardings on rooftops and advertisements on glass facades. Additionally, mandatory requirements will include third-party insurance and QR codes displaying agency details on hoardings, with similarly strict regulations for Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) advertising.
Earlier, on July 1, State Minister Uday Samant notified the legislative assembly about the Maharashtra government’s plan to introduce a new hoarding policy for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. He also highlighted that a committee, headed by retired Chief Justice Dilip Bhosle of the Allahabad High Court, is investigating the matter.
As per reports, the draft policy has been developed in collaboration with Ernst & Young. Furthermore, a seven-member committee, which includes experts from IIT Mumbai, has formulated regulations concerning the brightness levels and operating hours of DOOH screens.
The draft policy by BMC encompasses a wide range of advertising mediums including balloons, indoor and outdoor displays, shop signages, mobile hoardings, and waterfront hoardings. Key proposals include prohibiting hoardings on building rooftops and glass facades, mandating QR codes on all billboards containing owner and agency details, issuance dates of licenses, and more.
Additionally, the draft mandates third-party insurance and introduces new guidelines for audit inspections, stability certifications for new structures, and DOOH advertising. A few more specific provisions include:
- No rooftop hoarding displays are permitted.
- Only V-shaped back-to-back hoarding placements are allowed; L-shaped placements prohibited
- A minimum 70-meter distance is required between two hoardings
- Prohibition of displays on glass walls
- A minimum 30-meter distance is required between mobile and static hoarding placements
- Mandatory third-party insurance
- Structural audits are required every two years, geotechnical audits every five years
- The maximum allowable lifespan of hoardings is set at 50 years from initial approval.
Source: Social Samosa
