PMC to draft new advertisement regulations to curb revenue loss

Patna: The Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) on Friday decided to take strict action against unauthorised advertisements, including hoardings.In a special council meeting chaired by mayor Sita Sahu, it was decided that regulations regarding the placement of advertisements would be drafted within 10 days and sent to the govt for further proceedings. At the meeting, the Patna Municipal Corporation Advertisement (Amendment) Regulation Draft, 2025 was unanimously passed.Under the new rules, every advertising agency must register directly with the corporation. Without this registration, no agency will have the legal right to place advertisements. The new policy divides Patna’s roads into primary main roads, main roads, and other roads to end the monopoly of specific advertising agencies.While the govt has established a minimum rate of Rs10 per square feet, councillors suggested further dividing the zones into sub-zones and charging higher rates. Councillor Ashish Kumar Sinha proposed that the base rate should be at least Rs 50 per square feet to reflect Patna’s potential.PMC commissioner Yashpal Meena presented a report on the current status of the advertisement system in the city. He said Patna’s income from advertisements is negligible compared to other large cities. Furthermore, 54 active agencies owe the corporation Rs108 crore in dues and have been served notices for payment. The lack of a clear policy and irregular collection caused a revenue loss estimated between Rs840 crore and Rs1,440 crore since 2014. This new regulation aims to break the cycle of illegal advertisements and increase civic income, he said.To control the influence of advertising agencies, the corporation has proposed an increase in penalties. Under the new regulations, the PMC will receive 25% of the advertising revenue from the Railways. A proposal was also made to claim 25% of the revenue from advertisements at the metro and airport. The entire process will be moved online to ensure transparency and eliminate middlemen. Agencies must obtain a centralised licence valid for three years, with a registration fee of Rs1.50 lakh and a renewal fee of Rs60,000.Advertisements using colours or shapes that resemble traffic signals have been banned to prevent distraction to drivers. LED advertisements have been asked to reduce their brightness after midnight. The mayor said this policy is a milestone in strengthening Patna’s internal revenue. The money earned from these advertisements will be spent on augmenting civic facilities.