Bengaluru Unveils Sweeping Reforms for Outdoor Advertising
The city of Bengaluru is poised for a dramatic transformation of its visual landscape as the urban development department has unveiled the draft Greater Bengaluru Area (Advertisement) Rules, 2025. This proposed framework represents a comprehensive overhaul, replacing the existing 2024 bylaws with a stringent, centralized system driven by auctions. The primary goals are to clamp down on illegal flex banners, enhance the city's aesthetic appeal, and provide a substantial boost to municipal corporation revenues.
Centralized Auction System and Licensing
At the heart of the new regulations is a completely revamped process for allocating advertising space. The city will be systematically divided into road stretches, each measuring 656.1 feet in length, with a special provision for 328 feet segments in designated commercial zones. A senior official from the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) explained that each of these stretches will be auctioned off to a single licensed advertiser exclusively through the government's e-procurement platform.
Eligibility to participate in these auctions is strictly reserved for agencies that are formally registered with the city corporation. This registration requires a one-time payment of a Rs 5 lakh licence fee, which remains valid for a period of five years. The winning bidder for a particular stretch will be granted exclusive advertising rights on both government and private properties along that assigned road. However, the advertiser must independently secure separate agreements with private property owners to display hoardings on their premises.
Strict Regulations on Placement and Design
The draft rules lay out precise specifications to control the density and placement of advertisements. In a significant move, the rules prohibit any advertisements for third parties on roads that are less than 59 feet wide, with the only exception being self-signage for the property itself. The maximum allowable advertising area, or 'ad load,' on a given stretch is directly tied to the width of the road.
This ranges from a permitted 1,000 square feet on roads measuring 59 to 78 feet wide, scaling up to a maximum of 1,600 square feet on roads wider than 196 feet. To prevent visual clutter, the rules also mandate a minimum gap of 164 feet between two consecutive hoardings.
Heavy Penalties and Formal Recognition of Digital Ads
Emphasizing strict enforcement, the draft stipulates that any unauthorized hoarding will be removed immediately. Both the advertiser and the property owner will face a financial penalty amounting to twice the prescribed advertisement fee. Furthermore, violators could face criminal action under the Greater Bengaluru Governance Act and may also be prosecuted for defacement of property.
The rules also address payment defaults, stating that licenses of authorized advertisers can be suspended and the agencies blacklisted for non-payment. Outstanding dues will be recovered in the same manner as property tax arrears.
In a forward-looking provision, the draft formally recognizes modern advertising formats for the first time. Digital building facades, LED displays, and building wraps are now included in the regulatory framework, though with specific restrictions. The ban on videos and moving images continues, and digital displays are required to shift frames only once every 10 seconds. Additionally, electronic hoardings must allocate 10% of their display time free of cost for government public service announcements.
The new framework also extends its purview to advertisements on Metro pillars, skywalks, public toilets, and EV charging stations. Notably, revenue generated from advertisements on Metro pillars will be shared equally, in a 50:50 ratio between the GBA and the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL). Existing legacy hoardings will be permitted to continue operations only if they conform to the new size, height, and safety norms within a grace period of six months from the implementation of the rules. The draft is currently open for public feedback and comments for a duration of 30 days.
