Mayor Sarabjeet Singh Samana has sought details into the agency handling outdoor advertising in the city after the municipal corporation (MC) found around 40 unipoles, billboards and LED advertising structures allegedly installed beyond the sites permitted under the tender.
The exact number of additional structures, however, will be established only after a detailed verification by the MC, officials revealed.
The agency has been directed to remove the additional structures within three days, failing which action will be taken according to the tender conditions, officials said.
There’s a blatant illegal network going on wherein there’s also a contact mentioned to reach out for advertisement. The letter specifically describes the installations as a violation of the Punjab Municipal Outdoor Advertisement Policy, 2018, and calls for action under the policy and the applicable Advertisement Bylaws. It also refers to Clause 11.7, directing that action be taken and the matter brought to the contractor’s notice. “I have submitted multiple complaints to the MC, the most recent one was submitted a week ago, wherein details of 144 illegal huge commercial advertising structures were given with pictures and longitude-latitude. Only 50-60% of the awarded sites are currently advertised by us.
Due to illegal hoardings installed at various sites, such as farms alongside roads, even we get less advertisers.
Shavinder Sandhu, CEO of Findoc Ventures Pvt Ltd, the company responsible for advertising across Mohali MC area, said he had previously raised complaints about illegal advertising structures. I believe the MC must have initiated action on that,” he said. Sandhu added, “As far as our position is concerned, we have advertised strictly according to the tender contract. The rest are vacant,” he said.
