Mumbai: The BMC will be studying the policy of different states as well as countries to formulate comprehensive guidelines on digital hoardings in the city. The six-member committee formed to frame the policy discussed on various aspects at a meeting held in BMC headquarters on Tuesday. However, traffic police expressed concern over digital hoardings at signals and footpaths as it distracts motorists.
After the huge billboard collapsed on Ghatkopar's petrol pump, killing 17, the BMC speeded up framing the hoarding policy for the city. Since BMC is receiving several applications for digital hoardings, the civic body has taken steps to prepare separate guidelines for such hoardings. The committee formed to frame guidelines held their second meeting in the presence of the additional municipal commissioner, Dr. Ashwini Joshi on Tuesday.
The meeting was attended by experts from the Indian Institute of Technology - Bombay (IIT- B), traffic police, Rakesh Kumar, an ex-employee of National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), officials of the environment and licenses department.
"Digital hoardings have also raised safety concerns, so there are different opinions on whether to allow digital hoardings in the city. So, we are studying the digital hoarding policy of different cities in the country and also other countries such as the UK, the USA and Australia. We are also verifying if we can mark special zones for digital hoardings like Delhi. A three sub-committee has been formed to study technical aspects, environmental and about road safety. The committee will also decide about the brightness and colour of digital hoarding, if it should have moving clips, content on the hoarding and whether it should be shut down after 11 pm," said a senior civic official.
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He further added that, "Traffic police have raised a concern over the digital hoardings blocking view and causing distraction to the motorists on signals as well as footpaths. The brightness of the hoardings is affecting the driver. Another point was raised by the members that digital hoardings should not be erected on religious places and on heritage structures. We would also have to decide about the permissible size of the hoardings."
The current permissible size of the hoardings is 40 ft x40 ft. There are 1025 authorised hoardings in the city, of which 67 are digital. No new hoarding has been permitted after the incident of billboard collapsed at Ghatkopar. The BMC will be inviting suggestions and objections to the proposed guidelines after July 5 and the policy is expected to be out in August.
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