by THO
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In his 2016 book The Great Derangement, author Amitav Ghosh issued a dire warning: “The thousands of billboards that encrust Mumbai” would turn into “deadly projectiles” in the event of a major storm. Such a scenario may have seemed improbable to many. Yet nearly a decade on, disaster struck on May 13 this year, when a colossus 120×120 foot advertising hoarding came crashing down during a Mumbai thunderstorm, claiming 16 lives.
The tragedy starkly exposed the perilous and unregulated nature of these towering structures, proving that Ghosh’s grim prophecy is not so far- fetched after all. As the author himself posted on social media, “the recent storm was nowhere near as damaging as a major cyclone would be. Mumbai really needs to cut back drastically on billboards”.
Eight illegal billboards at Tilak Bridge in Dadar East: BMC
The proliferation of large billboards is not confined to Mumbai alone — reports of hoardings and billboards collapsing during rains and storms, causing damage and power outages, is common across the country. Despite complaints, little action has been taken to address these hazards.
Many perceive the surge in giant outdoor advertisements also as contributors to chaotic cityscapes. Pedestrians and motorists are bombarded with flashy ads, detracting from a city’s charm and character, and giving it the feel of an overcrowded, suffocating marketplace. Experts caution against the visual pollution caused by these giant advertisements, an issue that has often been overlooked in Indian cities.
“They add more chaos to our already chaotic cities and obscure cityscapes,” said Akash Hingorani, a Delhi-based architect and urban designer. “These advertisements often appear random, lacking any sense of artistic expression or consideration for safety. In many Western countries, billboards are designed with pedestrians in mind, but in Indian cities, they are primarily aimed at motorists, which explains their big size and high placements. Proper planning needs to account for the design, angle of placement, size, height, and the number of these ads to better integrate them with an urban environment.”
The advent of outdoor advertising
Outdoor advertising has a long history in India, dating back to ancient times when messages were communicated through painted signs on walls, rocks, and other public spaces. The use of outdoor advertising in its more modern form started in the late 19th century with the arrival of billboards and posters.
Western-style advertising was introduced during the British colonial period, and the first billboards appeared in major cities such as Kolkata and Mumbai, mainly promoting British goods and services.
After independence in 1947, outdoor advertising continued to develop in tandem with economic growth and urbanisation. Throughout the 20th century, a wide range of outdoor advertising formats emerged, such as hoardings, transit advertising, and street furniture advertising.
The industry saw significant advancements in the early 21st century with the introduction of digital signage and LED displays.
“In the 1950s, large hoardings were primarily seen outside cinema halls in Delhi. A few commercial hoardings put up by consumer brands could also be found in select locations like Kamla Market near Ajmeri Gate, the outer circle of Connaught Place, and at Minto Bridge. Their numbers increased significantly in the 1980s,” said Sydney Rebeiro, 82, former dean (culture) at Delhi University.
Today, outdoor advertising in India is a multi-billion-dollar industry, with both traditional and digital billboards playing a significant role in brand promotion and marketing campaigns across the country. This has become a significant source of income for several municipal corporations, such as the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), which has in the past few years actively promoted outdoor advertising through its policies.
“The corporation earns about ₹200 crore per year through licensing of billboards and hoardings,” said a BMC official.
“The problem is that billboards, hoardings, and banners are often not included in the plan when urban spaces are designed. This results in a situation where the placement of advertisements is more about finding any available space. In malls, advertising space is often planned properly, integrating well with the architecture. This principle should be applied to larger urban design,” says Kapil Pandey, founder of VDIS, a company that specialises in signage design. “It is essential for civic architects and visual designers to work together when designing urban spaces.”
Reclaiming public spaces
Several cities around the world have recognised the negative impact of unregulated outdoor advertising and have taken steps to mitigate visual pollution. In September 2006, São Paulo in Brazil passed the “Clean City Law”, which banned all outdoor advertisements to reclaim public spaces. Paris has also implemented stringent regulations on billboard size and placement to preserve the city’s historic beauty.
In the United States, cities like San Francisco and New York have implemented zoning laws and stricter permitting processes to control the proliferation of outdoor ads. These measures include limits on the size and brightness of digital signs, restrictions on billboard placement near residential areas, and the creation of “ad-free zones” in certain parts of the city.
BMC is currently in the process of setting up a committee, consisting of traffic police officials, civic officials, and experts from IIT Bombay, to formulate comprehensive guidelines on the regulatory, economic, and aesthetic aspects of outdoor advertising in the city. “The idea is to address various concerns related to outdoor advertising, including light and visual pollution, and to maintain the city’s character,” the BMC official said.
In some cities such as Gurugram, residents fed up with official apathy have taken matters into their own hands. “The 1km road stretch outside our apartment was inundated with posters, hoardings, and other advertisements, and the numbers were increasing day by day. These ads made our otherwise green and peaceful area feel like a commercial zone,” said Pooja Anand, RWA president of Tulip Violet in Sector 69. “After civic authorities failed to respond to our requests, we decided to take action on our own. Today, whenever we see illegal posters or hoardings, we immediately remove them.”
Regulations and how to enforce them
Though Delhi was one of India’s first cities to have an outdoor advertising policy— established in 2008, and revised in 2017 — with the aim to enhance aesthetics, the Capital too has not been immune to the visual clutter caused by billboards and hoardings.
Navi Mum, Panvel civic bodies pull down 36 illegal billboards
“For aesthetics, we consider the width of the road and the size of the boards. We permit only 20×10 ft boards on a road that is 100 feet wide, and 26×13 ft boards on roads wider than that. Besides, proper distance between them is also considered,” said a Municipal Corporation Delhi (MCD) official.
“Whenever an advertising agency puts up a hoarding, we ask for a structural safety certificate. Besides, our team of 20 inspectors is always on the streets enforcing regulations and removing illegal banners and hoardings that keep popping up everywhere. In the past couple of years, we have conducted drives in areas like Rohini, Vijay Nagar, Karol Bagh, Narela, among others to remove illegal hoardings. The situation has considerably improved,” he added.
Around a decade ago, said the official, people would even install iron poles to place advertisements. “But we have now stopped that practice. These days a lot of these posters, banners, and hoardings are often put up by local politicians and businesses. It is not possible to send notices to everyone and take action; people need to have civic sense and keep the city clean,” said the official.
Mental cost of visual pollution
Beyond aesthetics, visual pollution has a profound psychological effect on people. Mental health experts say the constant exposure to high-density advertising can lead to a sensory overload, where the brain becomes overwhelmed by the barrage of visual stimuli. This can cause stress, anxiety, and distraction, reducing overall quality of life. Studies have shown that environments with excessive visual clutter can make it difficult for people to focus and process information efficiently.
“Visual clutter from advertising can indeed lead to a multitude of problems, including stress, anxiety, aesthetic displeasure, attention overload, cognitive load, and even distractions that can contribute to accidents on the road,” said Deepak Raheja, senior psychiatrist, Hope Care India, a Delhi-based psychiatry centre and mental wellness organisation.
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“While it may not be practically possible to eliminate advertising completely, it’s crucial to regulate and control it effectively.”
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