Ahmedabad: The city’s Draft Outdoor Advertisement Policy 2026 proposes strict safety requirements for outdoor advertising installations before any steel column is erected. To prevent infrastructure damage and protect public right-of-way, operators must complete underground utility surveys, mark safe excavation corridors and implement a traffic management plan approved by road and traffic authorities before beginning work.Agencies are also required to submit comprehensive soil data and structural calculations before breaking ground. To shield the municipality and its citizens from catastrophic accidents, the policy legally binds operators to formidable safety nets.“Every permit holder shall maintain a valid third-party liability insurance policy for each installation,” the draft rules state. Depending on the risk profile, the insured sum “may range from five lakh rupees for small static formats to one crore rupees or more for large formats or digital installations”.Crucially, agencies must upload this proof annually, as failure to maintain insurance shall result in suspension of the permit, the draft policy states.
