Bengaluru: Cutouts, hoardings, and banners are fast emerging as a safety threat for commuters in the city. With the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) elections around the corner, ‘Happy Birthday’ banners and posters of new political faces have mushroomed across all five city corporation limits.Cutouts are erected on footpaths and near traffic signals, often supported by large wooden frames. At Kundalahalli Circle on Old Airport Road, a giant cutout was recently placed directly in front of a traffic signal, obstructing visibility. After complaints, local traffic police ensured the banner was removed. However, the 20ft-tall wooden structure was left on the footpath. Similar structures can be seen across the city.A local traffic cop told TOI: “We made multiple calls to get the banner removed. We don’t even know when it was placed there. While we managed to remove the cutout, the structure remained. We’ll ask GBA to get that removed as well.”The civic authority introduced a new advertisement policy in Jan to auction advertising rights. However, on the ground, banners and flex boards continue to mushroom. This is the third such bylaw in the past two years. Corporations say they are still working on implementing the policy.Ashish Nair, a resident of east Bengaluru, said: “The red light isn’t optional; neither is someone’s safety. I commute daily via the Kundalahalli flyover, where the red signal regulates a busy intersection. Recently, a poster temporarily covered the signal, posing serious risks. Traffic signs must remain clearly visible. I raised the issue with traffic police, but was advised to approach the GBA. Ensuring signals remain unobstructed should fall within the responsibility of traffic authorities.“While corporations claim they are removing illegal flexes, officials admit enforcement is difficult because of limited manpower. Commissioners say that even after banners are cleared overnight, new ones appear the following day.Ramesh, from South city corporation, said, “We’re yet to call for tenders under the recent advertisement policy. There is strictly no provision to permit banners or flexes, so all these hoardings are illegal. The moment we are informed, we remove them. But with limited staff, we cannot monitor every corner.”Pommala Sunil Kumar, commissioner of South city corporation, said, “Handling banners and flexes has become a major problem. Even political parties must adhere to the blanket ban. It is difficult to identify who is putting them up unless there are CCTV cameras nearby. We cannot file an FIR without identifying the offenders. We’ll find ways to tackle this.”Residents say the issue goes beyond aesthetics. Selvarajan from Yelahanka said, “These flex boards are harmful and mostly put up by political or religious groups. As citizens, we feel voiceless. Cloth festoons hanging from central barricades also pose a risk to vehicles. In Delhi, restrictions on advertisements helped. In Chennai, giant cutouts fell on commuters, causing deaths. Flex boards are environmentally harmful and dangerous.“H Eswarappa, from south Bengaluru, said: “First, plastic banners add to rubbish. Second, they distract riders near signals, increasing the risk of accidents. My biggest concern is distraction and safety.”With elections nearing, residents fear the city may soon be flooded with more banners, unless strict enforcement follows the policy on paper.
