Bengaluru has a new rulebook on outdoor advertising. On July 17, BBMP notified the Advertisement Bylaws, 2024 under the Greater Bengaluru Governance Act. The new system replaces outdated rules from 2006 and 2018, aiming to clean up the city’s public spaces, reduce visual pollution, and formalise advertising revenue collection. Here’s what you need to know.WHY THE NEW BYLAWS?Bengaluru’s ad landscape has long been plagued by illegal hoardings, plastic flex banners, and unregulated displays. BBMP now seeks to bring order with:■ Limits on ad size & density■ A licensed, auction-driven system■ Clear penalties for violations■ Measures to protect heritage zones & residential areasWHAT ARE THE LIMITS ON AD SPACE?BBMP has set strict area and length limits for advertisements along roads.Road width | Max ad area per 200m (both sides) | Max horizontal length per side 18-24m | 800sqft | 40ft 24-30m | 1,000sqft | 40ft30-60m | 1,100sqft | 40ft Over 60m | 1,200sqft | 40ft■ For smaller roads (12-18 metres wide) in commercial zones, the limit is 600sqft per 200 metres. On residential roads under 18m in width, ads are banned unless the area is listed as commercial or industrial in the Master Plan■ At traffic circles, the ad space is capped at 3,000sqft per 1 lakh sqft of circle area, with a total horizontal length not exceeding 120ftWHAT KINDS OF ADS ARE ALLOWED?■ Billboards & hoardings (on roads 18m and wider)■ Electronic screens (LED/LCD) with a minimum 10-second image transition. No flashy or moving videos allowed■ Building wraps (on non-heritage structures)■ Eco-friendly posters, cloth banners, & bio-degradable flexible materials■ At least 10% of screen time on digital displays must be given free for public service content. The maximum hoarding height is 40ft, with at least 175m spacing between hoardings. No ads are allowed above 30m elevation. V-shaped or back-to-back hoardings are permitted, but clubbing of multiple hoardings isn’t. Use of diesel generators for lighting is banned.WHERE ARE ADS BANNED?BBMP has declared strict no-ad zones, including:■ Within 50-100m of religious places, heritage sites, lakes & parks■ On trees, footpaths, electric poles, flyovers & lakesides■ On buildings without BBMP khata or those on the B-register list■ Specific stretches such as Kumara Krupa Road, Raj Bhavan Road, Palace Road, Cubbon Park environs, KR Circle, and Lalbagh surroundingsWHAT’S THE FEE STRUCTURE?Road width | Monthly fee (per sqft)Up to 12m | Rs 2512-18m | Rs 3518-24m | Rs 5024-30m | Rs 6530-60m | Rs 75Over 60m | Rs 100 |(Premium and heritage areas attract 50% higher charges | Note: In some places, BBMP uses FAR instead of road width)HOW WILL BBMP ALLOT AD SPACE?■ Rights are auctioned via Karnataka e-Procurement Portal■ Only licensed advertisers can bid; a Rs 5 lakh licence fee covers five years■ Bidders must pay a five-month security deposit and advance monthly fees■ Metro piers & BMTC spaces are excluded from these rights and will be tendered separatelyWHAT ABOUT MOBILE & SELF-ADS?■ Vehicle ads need BBMP approval; BMTC & Metro ads require NOC■ No vehicle ads are allowed near traffic junctions or flyovers■ Self-advertisements (displaying business names on the same premises) are free if within size limitsPENALTIES & ENFORCEMENT■ Illegal ads attract penalties of twice the auction rate, plus removal costs■ Delay in payments draws 18% annual interest■ BBMP can seize property, blacklist agencies, or initiate criminal action for violations■ Legacy ads have six months to comply with the new normsWHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?For Bengaluru residents, the new bylaws could reduce visual clutter and bring transparency to advertising. For ad agencies and property owners, it means tighter rules, digital tracking, and higher compliance costs. How well BBMP enforces this will decide if the city’s skyline finally gets cleaner.
