BMC’s draft OOH policy has extensive guidelines to regulate & streamline hoardings

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has formulated a draft policy for the regulation and streamlining of the out of home (OOH) media in Mumbai, following the tragic Ghatkopar hoarding collapse that left 17 people dead. The draft policy, which covers a wide area, is expected to be unveiled on July 5, 2024 and has significant implications for OOH advertising.

The scope of the draft policy also includes, balloons, indoor and outdoor displays, shops signages, mobile hoardings, waterfront hoardings.

As per industry sources, some of the major proposals include denial of permission to set up hoardings on rooftops of buildings as well as glass facades; affixing QR codes on all billboards, which will reveal details of the owner, the agency, the date of issuance of the licence, and more. The draft policy also specifies maintaining a minimum distance of 70 meters between two large hoardings and a 30-meter distance between stationary vehicles. For foot overbridges and skywalks, the distance mandated is 10 feet.

The draft policy has also made third party insurance mandatory, besides drawing up new norms for audit inspection and examination and certification for stability of the new structures.

The draft policy has also formulated fresh guidelines for DOOH advertising.