Draft MCGM ad policy promises industry-friendly norms

The License Department of the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) has circulated for review the Policy Guidelines on the Grant of Permission for Display of Sky-Signs and Advertisement under Section 328 & 328 A of MMC Act 1888. The Policy document provides for several far-reaching and innovative norms governing outdoor advertising under the MCGM jurisdiction.

Notably, the document provides that a license fee rebate of 10% will be accorded in the first year of solar power illumination of media.

In what would be a major boost for DOOH expansion, the document provides for digital LED advertising media in places like shopping malls, commercial buildings, multiplexes, and fuel stations, and that the license fee for digital media will be at par with the fee on non-digital media.

The advertising media size will be made standard across the city and the division of Mumbai into Zone 1, 2 and 3 will be done away with.

In a pioneering move, permission will be granted for installation of CCTV cameras atop hoardings to be connected with the MCGM Disaster Control Room, and those media owning firms will be granted 10% rebate on advertisement fee for the 1st year.

Also, an NOC issued by the Traffic Commissioner of Police for any media will be deemed final unless the size and format of the media has been altered.
The final policy document is expected to be released in about 15 days.