NMC cracks down on three firms for violating LED hoarding norms
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Nagpur: In a belated but firm response, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) issued notices to three outdoor advertising firms for violating the Maharashtra Municipal Corporations (Regulation and Control of the Display of Sky-signs and Advertisement) Rules, 2022.
The civic body gave the agencies just three days to rectify the breaches or face revocation of permissions and further punitive action.
According to a notice issued by deputy municipal commissioner (revenue) Milind Meshram, the advertising firms — including M/s Signpost and M/s Varsha Advertising — installed LED hoardings that blatantly flouted the 2022 rules, particularly regarding video content, display intensity, and screen formats.
The increasing use of high-intensity LED advertising screens in urban traffic zones has become a growing hazard for motorists. These digital hoardings, which display fast-moving visuals and frequent content changes, draw the attention of motorists and disrupt their focus while navigating busy intersections. Unlike static boards, dynamic LED displays create a sudden shift in a driver's visual field, often pulling their eyes away from the road at critical moments.
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Such distractions, even if momentary, can significantly increase the risk of collisions, especially in high-speed or congested areas.
Equally concerning is the intense brightness of these displays, which often compete with or overpower the illumination of traffic signals. When placed near signal poles, the glare from LED hoardings can make it difficult for drivers to accurately perceive signal colours, particularly during night-time or low-visibility conditions.
This creates confusion and delayed reactions, leading to traffic violations or near misses.
Experts warn that unless such installations are regulated and restricted from sensitive traffic zones, they will continue to endanger road safety and put both motorists and pedestrians at risk.
As per the civic body's findings, M/s Signpost erected three massive LED video walls — two on the premises of Saraswati High School at Shankar Nagar Square and one at RBI (Samvidhan) Square.
These screens displayed dynamic video advertisements, which is a clear violation of Rule 5(i)(iv) and Rule 5(a). The rules permit only static LED content, with a mandatory 10-second gap between content changes.
NMC noted that the three hoardings at Saraswati High School were being used in a "clubbing" format to display one oversized advertisement, which contravenes Rule 5(s) that regulates the size, layout, and permissible display configuration.
M/s Varsha Advertising also came under fire for its LED hoarding at Law College Square, which not only showed video clips but also emitted intense brightness. According to the NMC, the display created hazardous visual distraction for motorists and interfered with the visibility of traffic signals — violating Rules 5(a) and 9 of the 2022 regulations.
While the action followed a complaint filed by Parivartan – The Citizens' Forum, which previously took hoarding-related issues to the high court, the civic body's recent notice marks the first official move acknowledging these violations. NMC warned that failure to comply within three days will lead to cancellation of permissions and further action as per the law. With this move, the civic body signalled its intent to rein in illegal and unsafe advertising practices across the city.
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