Officials race to meet deadline to remove posters, flex banners

Fans taking hoardings of Siddaramaiah which were displayed during the swearing-in ceremony Siddaramaiah. Photo: K. Bhagya Prakash

With several posters, cut-outs and flex banners cropping up across the city, the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) officials, who were given a 24-hour deadline to remove all of them, are racing to meet the deadline.

Noting that the officials were dragging their feet to remove these unauthorised posters and cut-outs, BBMP Commissioner Siddaiah had issued the 24-hour deadline after a meeting with the zonal commissioners and officials from the advertisement department, on Monday.

However, with heavy rains lashing the city on Monday evening, the zonal officials were not able to remove many unauthorised posters and cut-outs, senior officials told

The Hindu . “The drive was taken up with vigour on Tuesday morning and will be intensified till the city is rid of these unauthorised posters and cut-outs,” the official added.

Mr. Siddaiah has directed the officials to initiate legal action against those who have put up these materials as per the Karnataka Open Places (Prevention of Disfigurement) Act, 1981, and levy a penalty. It is said the Commissioner had appraised the city MLAs of the situation, who had assured the BBMP of their support in curbing the menace.

According to a release, the meeting decided to collect tax for shop advertisement through SAS, on the lines of property tax. The Additional Commissioner (Revenue) has been directed to frame rules for the same. Mr. Siddaiah had also directed the officials to frame guidelines to implement the new advertisement policy and send the same to the government for approval, besides ensuring strict enforcement of bylaws to collect Rs. 150 crore due from advertisement tax.