Punjab Govt notifies new ad policy

The final draft of the Punjab Outdoor Advertising Policy 2018 has been released by the Government of Punjab after the detailed assessment on the suggestions taken from the industry. As per the document, the Policy is premised on the fact that while Outdoor Advertisements do bring revenue to the city, it must be driven by considerations of safety, aesthetics, decency and social ethics and that advertisements are promoted primarily in parts of the city, which are commercial in nature: business, industrial and shopping districts and discouraged in residential areas and urban freeways. However looking into the changing needs of advertisement and based on the past experience, "The Punjab Municipal Outdoor Advertisement Policy 2018" has been formulated. the Urban Local Bodies in the state would have to ensure the compliance of all provisions of the policy within two months.

In the new policy, the large size formats such as hoardings, billboards, unipoles and other advertisements are not allowed on rooftops of any type of buildings. Once the policy is implemented, rooftop hoardings installed in the city would also have to be removed by private firms concerned 

To bring transparency, the name and contact number of Nodal Officer would be displayed on the web portal of the department and public notice board. Besides, the information about the total number of different type of advertisement devices permitted their type, size, name and their location, contact number of the advertising device licence holder and validity of permission granted by the ULB concerned would be displayed

Also, the name and contact number of the licensed advertising agency is required to be displayed clearly on the lower right hand side of the advertising hoarding/ pole kiosk or any other advertising device. Besides, information about the size of hoarding and validity permission granted must be displayed. 

The police in-charge will ensure that no advertisement is mounted on traffic barricades, police assistance booths and traffic assistance booths. The SSP concerned will also have to submit the report to the Director Local Bodies Department every month. 

The new policy has laid emphasis on the proper implementation and strict check on the policy; a nodal officer appointed by the Urban Local Body (ULB) would submit a fortnightly report to the MC Commissioner or Executive Officer (EO) concerned that in the area under their jurisdiction there is strict compliance with all provisions of the policy. Further, Commissioner and EO would submit a monthly compliance report to Director of Department of Local Government.

If the officials concerned fail to ensure compliance of the policy, the state would recover the amount of revenue loss suffered by the state from the nodal officer and other officials concerned for negligence of duty. Besides, a flying squad from Local Bodies Department would also conduct random checks in areas under ULBs.

The Advertisement Regulatory Committee (ARC) would be constituted at ULB level to accord prior approval to the advertisement sites/ devices identified by ULB before floating the tender. The ARC would also ensure that in respective ULB there is strict compliance of all the provisions of policy and the respective advertisement bye-laws made there under.

Also the policy provides an equal participation to citizens as the policy allows them as on the web portal of department alert citizen can register the complaint regarding non-compliance of provisions of the this policy and the complaint received would be redressed within 3 days by the Commissioner/ EO concerned and the complainant would be informed of the action taken regarding the complaint submitted by him/her.