Hoardings business on the edge in Bengaluru

Even as the OOH business in the state of Karnataka is faced with the ban on PVC flex, there is a bigger challenge looming on the business horizon – a likely ban on hoardings in the city of Bengaluru. The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Council in a meeting earlier this week had reportedly decided to call for a one-year ban on hoardings in the city, but apparently changed its stance to make a plea to the Karnataka High Court to have some more time to draft and present a new advertising policy for the approval of the Karnataka Government.

The council’s plea was not made in the High Court hearing that took place on August 8, as per sources, but in the High Court hearing on August 10, the BBMP Council’s stand on the hoardings issue is likely to be clearer. Importantly, what the Court decides will have a big impact on OOH business in the city.

Currently, there is no ban on hoardings in the city, but the majority of hoardings are apparently unauthorised as BBMP has not renewed their licenses. Agencies commissioned by BBMP to pull down unauthorised hoarding structures are likely to get into act. Some of those structures on private land are being brought down.