Chennai: Chennai corporation has identified 1,100 spots in Chennai where the cash-starved local body is planning to encourage outdoor advertisements through hoardings.
The civic body is planning to generate Rs 50 crore annually. In 2009 Supreme Court passed orders banning illegal hoarding structures in Chennai upholding the previous orders passed by Madras high court to pull down illegal structures.
According to informed corporation sources, Chennai till 2008 had about 6,000 commercial hoardings in Chennai in which 90 per cent were erected without valid license and the authority of regulating hoardings in Chennai were then vested with the Chennai district collector. Most of the spots where hoardings will be regularized will be in commercial areas of Chennai.
Corporation owned parks, playfields and grounds in areas like Pursawalkam, T Nagar, Nungambakkam, Anna Nagar and Adyar have advertisement potential and these localities will have more identified spots for private parties who want to put up hoardings with restricted dimensions, sources added.
"It was during the DMK regime, a decision was taken by the then chief minister M Karunanidhi to ban hoardings in Chennai and subsequently the court also ordered pulling down of illegal structures. The court had warned action only against illegalities but the entire hoarding industry was choked," said social activist R. Govindaraj.
When tanneries, distilleries and mining industries can be regulated despite pollution why ban hoarding industry. At present, there is no crack down on political hoardings, whereas commercial hoardings are not permitted.
Hoardings of small size can be allowed with valid permission, as it would provide job and business opportunities, Govindaraj said.
Cash-starved Corpn seeks to regulate hoarding industry
- According to a member of Tamil Nadu Outdoor Hoarding Association, if regulated, the industry can help the state authorities to rake in around '500 crore per year. Further this will also reduce the illegal mammools collected by local politicians.
- In 2015, former mayor M Subramanian threatened action against the civic body for allowing illegal hoardings to thrive in Saidapet.
- Subsequently, a drive against illegal hoardings was conducted in Adyar and Little Mount.
- Metropolitan Transport Corporation has about 1,200 bus stops in Chennai and there were steps to promote advertisements in these shelters but the project was not a hit.
- The state has a policy to generate revenue through these structures but there is no clarity or official communication to regulate the industry.
