KMC to come up with new ad policy; rates to vary area-wise

Kolkata: Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) is all set to have area-wise outdoor advertisement rates in the city with the aim to generate more revenue. The civic body is coming up with a new advertisement policy in Kolkata and the concerned department is presently working on the draft.

"The advertisement put up in an area, which is commercially more viable, will have higher rates and vice-versa. We will soon finalise the draft advertisement policy," a senior KMC official said.

He explained that an advertisement which will be visible from the Maa flyover will have higher rates in comparison to one that will be visible in Joka area.

"KMC has already done away with size wise rates of advertisements and has ushered in a flat rate. However, our main aim is to have area wise rates," the official added.

In the new advertisement policy, KMC will offer reduction in advertisement fees for eco-friendly hoardings and bill boards in the city. "We are encouraging eco-friendly hoardings or billboards for advertisements. The use of solar lights for display is also being welcomed. Hence, we have proposed to offer reduction in fees for putting up such advertisements. This will bring down the number of plastic or flex hoardings,"Debasish Kumar, Member Board of Administrators, KMC in-charge of the Advertisement department said. Another prime reason for formulation of the advertisement policy is to restrict the number of private billboard structures to curb visual pollution. There will be a fixed distance between two advertisement hoardings.There will be penal provisions against advertisements that will be not stick to the earmarked size. "We will allow them reduction in size but they will have to a pay a penalty for the same," the official said.As per the new advertisement policy advertisements on old buildings or heritage structures, adjacent to hospitals, rail stations etc and most importantly on the demarcated green zone in the city will not be allowed and any deviation will attract legal action. "The legal provisions will be made more stringent," said a senior official of the Advertisement department.