BBMP far from figuring out ways to curb hoardings that disfigure roads

With elections fast approaching, illegal hoardings related to political leaders have taken over the city’s public spaces, mostly on footpaths and roads.

Despite multiple directions from the High Court, BBMP is yet to muster enough courage to enforce its 2020 Rule that bans outdoor advertisements.

The slow action has just emboldened offenders who continue to disfigure the city with hoardings and flexes of all shapes and sizes.

Parts of Malleswaram, Ballari Road, Vijayanagar, Nayandahalli, RR Nagar, CV Raman Nagar, Hebbal, etc., are lined with illegal flexes for several days.

The scenario is no different in other Assembly constituencies. These hoardings not only disfigure the city’s landscape, but can also harm motorists and pedestrians.

Records show that the BBMP has registered only 51 FIRs since January this year, but penalty has been slapped in just 41 cases.

During the same period, the civic body had identified 9,570 illegal flexes and a majority of them were removed by BBMP itself as the engineers concerned could not immediately identify offenders.

Going by BBMP’s compliance report, which was filed before the High Court in the recent case, the civic body has indicated its helplessness in ensuring that Bengaluru is free from illegal flexes.

“Despite the daily exercise of removing these unauthorised advertisement hoardings, flexes, banners, buntings, cut-outs, etc., local political leaders and their supporters, those conducting religious and social functions stealthily erect them in the dead of the night either in the same place or in different places,” the report to the court said.

The officers, it said, immediately initiate action to remove them and also lodge complaints and register FIRs.

“The menace of unauthorized advertisement hoardings, flexes and banners are more during elections and festivals. BBMP is trying its best to contain this,” the report stated.

Not happy with the response, the High Court ordered BBMP to ensure that the offenders bear the cost of removing the flexes. It also directed the civic body to popularise helpline numbers where citizens can raise complaints.

Designated spots

Some aspiring candidates believe that a blanket ban on illegal flexes should be relaxed to a certain extent so that illegal display of hoardings is curbed and all political leaders get equal space to communicate with voters. They suggest political advertising should be allowed on private properties while insisting on a strict no, on roads and footpaths.

Urbanist Ashwin Mahesh said BBMP should create designated spaces to advertise the names of candidates from all parties in every constituency.

“People should be allowed to use their boundary walls or sides of buildings without creating additional structures for advertising. This will take away 90% of illegal flexes from the roads,” he said.

The BBMP, he said, should figure out a legal way of providing avenues to advertise during elections, instead of refusing permission.

Aam Aadmi Party’s Padmanabhanagar candidate Ajay Gowda said BBMP must find a legal way to advertise.

“There are over 1 lakh houses in my constituency and it is nearly impossible to reach every house. I don’t want to instal hoardings as they are illegal. Other forms of advertisements are very costly,” he said, adding that elections are ultimately not fought on free and fair grounds.

On private properties

BBMP chief commissioner Tushar Girinath told DH that the civic body is considering the proposal of allowing political flexes on private properties, but a final decision had not been taken.

“Outdoor advertisements of all forms are banned, except in places where BBMP has taken up PPP projects. In the last elections, flexes were allowed to be displayed on houses. We are trying to relax the rule this year too,” he said.

Advocate G R Mohan, also the petitioner in the case on illegal flexes, said there is no scope in the BBMP Act for allowing political flexes on private properties.

“It’s not just about putting up banners. Where do they end up after their use? They will all be thrown in stormwater drains and lakes that ultimately pollute water. These plastic materials are neither reused nor disposed of properly,” he said.