In a strategic move to revive its dwindling finances, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is considering a return of commercial hoardings to the city’s skyline. The civic body is banking on the Outdoor Signage and Public Messaging Bye-laws of 2018, which permit regulated advertising, to generate an estimated Rs 750 crore annually.
This comes nearly seven years after BBMP enforced a blanket ban on hoardings across Bengaluru. The new plan emerges as the Karnataka High Court has yet to issue a verdict on the state government’s updated advertisement policy introduced in early 2024.
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Legal Framework and Plan B Activation
With the 2024 policy stuck in legal limbo, BBMP officials are now eyeing Clause 10 of the 2018 bye-laws, which empowers the commissioner to grant permissions for signage and advertising on public and commercial properties for a fee, renewable every three years.
“We are incurring significant losses due to the absence of advertisement revenue,” said BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath. According to officials, the delay in policy implementation is costing the civic body anywhere between Rs 50 crore and Rs 100 crore per month in potential earnings.
The BBMP had projected revenue of Rs 500 crore from advertising for the 2024–25 fiscal year. However, as the policy was approved only midway through the year—and later challenged in court—the city ended up earning nothing in this category.
High Court Ruling on the 2018 Bye-laws
In March 2023, the Karnataka High Court struck down Clause 7.1.1 of the 2018 bye-laws, which had banned hoardings and temporary signage. The court deemed the clause “arbitrary and unconstitutional,” thereby allowing the possibility of regulated outdoor advertisements on private properties, though not on private residential spaces.
This ruling now forms the legal foundation for BBMP’s contingency plan. While the 2024 policy remains under judicial review, BBMP intends to reintroduce advertising under the revived 2018 guidelines, targeting only public and commercial properties.
Scope and Implementation of the Advertising Strategy
According to insiders, top BBMP officials are prioritizing this approach to quickly stem the revenue loss and capitalize on the city’s vast commercial potential. The advertisements will be rolled out in a regulated format to ensure compliance with the 2018 policy, which outlines strict guidelines on placement, size, and renewal of commercial signages.
Officials believe that even a partial implementation could bring in hundreds of crores, which would significantly bolster the civic body’s stretched budget. BBMP’s move is also likely to influence advertising norms in other Karnataka municipalities facing similar fiscal challenges.
Public Reaction and Future Outlook
While the reintroduction of hoardings may not sit well with urban aesthetics advocates and citizens concerned about visual clutter, BBMP argues that regulated commercial advertising is a necessary financial tool—especially in the wake of mounting civic demands and limited revenue sources.
If successful, this revival plan could serve as a model for balancing regulatory compliance with much-needed civic revenue generation. However, the final course will depend heavily on the Karnataka High Court’s impending ruling on the 2024 policy.
Category: Civic News, Bengaluru, Urban Development, Government Policy
Tags: BBMP, Bengaluru hoardings, Outdoor Signage 2018, advertising revenue BBMP, Karnataka HC ad policy, public messaging rules, commercial hoardings Bengaluru, BBMP revenue plan, billboard regulations, civic body news
