Latest news with #KarnatakaOpenPlaces(PreventionofDisfigurement)Act
Time of India
3 days ago
- General
- Time of India
MCC moves for flex-free city, seeks cooperation of organisers
Mangaluru: The Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) decided to curb flex usage during the festival period, aiming to make the city 'flex-free' and thereby prevent pollution. The MCC sought support from political, religious, and social bodies to keep the city free from flex hoardings. The MCC also issued a warning that violators will face action under the Karnataka Open Places (Prevention of Disfigurement) Act. In a public notice issued on Aug 5, the MCC sought the cooperation of individuals and organisations in this direction. The MCC's public notice ahead of Sri Krishna Janmashtami, Ganesh Chaturthi, and other festivals will mandate all organisers in the city limits to stick to the rules by avoiding unauthorised flex and other public materials in public places. Meanwhile, MCC commissioner Ravichandra Naik stated that the drives to remove unauthorised hoardings, cutouts, flex banners, posters, and buntings in the city corporation limits are being conducted continuously. He also sought cooperation from the public to keep the city clean with the motto: 'flex-free festival - clean environment for our safety'. The commissioner stated that some of the organisers, cinema advertisers, and social, religious, and political organisers have been erecting cutouts and other materials in the city. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like If You Eat Ginger Everyday for 1 Month This is What Happens Tips and Tricks Undo Such unauthorised flex banners and other materials are disfiguring the beauty of the city. Further, it also leads to pollution of the environment through the accumulation of solid waste, the commissioner noted. Warning action against violators, the commissioner said there is no provision under law to put up flex and other materials. "The MCC has the authority to impose penalties and file criminal cases against those who put up illegal hoardings and flex under the Karnataka Open Places (Prevention of Disfigurement) Act and govt order dated March 11, 2016. Hence, flex or banners should not be put up for any upcoming religious and other festivals," he added. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
Time of India
07-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Illegal flexes & banners: Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike pins hope on high court approval for advertisement zones
Bengaluru: Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), which is struggling to manage illegal banners and flexes in the city, has pinned its hopes on the high court giving permission to establish designated zones for advertising. With illegal installations continuing to flood public spaces despite a blanket ban, penalties, and court orders prohibiting them, BBMP is hoping to impress upon the court to allow dedicated zones to enable better regulation. In the past 11 months alone, BBMP has removed more than 25,214 unauthorised banners and flexes, filed 448 FIRs, and collected Rs 4.1 lakh in fines. Yet, officials admit that enforcement has had little lasting impact. "We clear the banners today, and tomorrow they're back. It's a visibility problem — people want to be seen, even if it means breaking the law," said a BBMP official. You Can Also Check: Bengaluru AQI | Weather in Bengaluru | Bank Holidays in Bengaluru | Public Holidays in Bengaluru A video clip posted online on July 3 reignited public outrage. It showed a footpath in Nagarbhavi blocked by bamboo poles, stacked containers, flags, and political banners — forcing pedestrians on to the road. The footage has gone viral, with citizens calling out the encroachment of public spaces and political indifference to safety. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 2025 年最紓壓的農場遊戲！無需安裝 東加：島嶼農場 立即播放 Undo BBMP officials say current penalties under the Karnataka Open Places (Prevention of Disfigurement) Act and BBMP Act are too lenient. Fines as low as Rs 1,000 offer no real deterrent to repeat offenders. As part of a stronger crackdown, the civic body has proposed a 2024 Advertisement Bylaw, which includes dynamic fines calculated based on banner size and location — potentially doubling standard ad rates. The bylaw also proposes the introduction of legal advertising zones, modelled on Delhi's advertisement policy approved by the Supreme Court. These zones would allow limited placements on private property or wide roads, strictly excluding footpaths, medians, and trees. BBMP argues that legalising and regulating banners would reduce clutter, improve compliance, and generate civic revenue. The proposal remains stalled in court after the earlier 2018 bylaw was struck down as unconstitutional. The 2024 draft, filed in Jan, awaits judicial approval. "If passed, we'll finally have a system to regulate content and location. Until then, illegal flexes will keep appearing," the official added. While some banners are intended for public awareness or event promotion, BBMP says their placement often endangers pedestrians and degrades urban aesthetics. "Designated boards can balance public messaging with order and safety," the official said.
The Hindu
24-04-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
BBMP notifies fresh SoP to crack down on illegal hoardings
The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has issued a new Standard Operating Procedure (SoP) to intensify its crackdown on unauthorised advertisements, replacing the earlier framework with a more coordinated and enforceable structure. The updated SoP lays out clear responsibilities for civic officials, strengthens coordination with the police, and introduces tougher enforcement provisions aimed at eradicating illegal flexes, banners, cut-outs, and similar public displays. At the core of the revision is the formation of dedicated BBMP advertisement control teams in each zone. These teams, comprising junior, assistant, and assistant executive engineers, will work in close coordination with marshals, Home Guards, and local police to identify, remove, and penalise unauthorised hoardings. The assistant executive engineer of the respective subdivision will oversee these operations and ensure complaints are registered against violators. For seamless implementation, each ward will have designated engineers responsible for lodging complaints with the local police. In the absence of permanent staff, contract workers may be deployed. BBMP officials have also been authorised to recover the cost of advertisement removal along with penalties by treating them as property tax arrears, under Section 161 of the BBMP Act, 2020. The SoP emphasises that no banner, flex, cut-out, or advertisement can be displayed without written permission from the BBMP Chief Commissioner, as per Section 158 of the BBMP Act, 2020. A dedicated control room will operate from every assistant executive engineer's office to receive public complaints via phone or the BBMP help app (1533). Police stations are required to appoint nodal officers for continuous collaboration with BBMP teams, while enforcement personnel such as Hoysala patrolling units must notify BBMP of any ongoing or newly erected illegal advertisements. The police and BBMP teams are expected to respond immediately upon receiving such information, remove the advertisements, and register FIRs under multiple legal provisions including the Karnataka Open Places (Prevention of Disfigurement) Act, Indian Penal Code, and the Public Property Damage Act. The FIRs must name both the installer and the beneficiary of the advertisement, and criminal action, including arrests, will be pursued where necessary. The revised SoP mandates 24/7 availability of advertisement control personnel across zones, publishing contact details for public access and assigning nodal officers to coordinate enforcement at each police station. The BBMP Commissioner and the Police Commissioner will regularly review the implementation and effectiveness of the SoP.
