Bengaluru: In a shocking revelation by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagari Palike (BBMP) officials, there are more than 9,000 unofficial and illegal advertisement hoardings across the city.
A team of the BBMP officials constituted to identify the illegal and unofficial advertisement hoardings in the BBMP limits has revealed this and has recommended severe action to be taken against the guilty.
Advertisement hoardings bring a huge amount of revenue to the corporation and are one of the top sources of income. Out of 11,400 bill boards the BBMP has sanctioned licenses only to 1,900 bill boards. On par 9,600 hoardings are billed as illegal and unofficial. The hoardings with expired date of license have also been billed off as illegal ones.
If all the hoardings are legalised or penalties are slammed on the errant advertisers, the BBMP can earn Rs 600 cr as additional income annually, an official said.
The constituent team took a month’s time to identify such hoardings and the survey was undertaken ward-wise.
It is now left to the Commissioner of the BBMP to decide on next course of action- to levy penalty or to remove the hoardings from sight.
Since the latter is not a feasible idea for the BBMP, penalty seems to be a better option considering the fact that the BBMP is facing financial crunch and is trying to generation additional income. The report is likely to be tabled in the next meeting.
Meanwhile, notices will be issued to the errant advertisers within a week and action plan will be decided later, sources said.
Speaking to NewsKarnataka.com, Commissioner of BBMP, Manjunath Prasad said, the action plan will be decided after the report is tabled and consent is taken from the officials and representatives concern.
