Dangerous and unauthorised hoardings across Indian cities continue to threaten public safety, prompting fresh legal orders, civic actions and court directives as residents and authorities grapple with enforcement gaps that allow unsafe billboards and banners to proliferate.

Unsafe and illegal advertising hoardings have emerged as a significant public safety concern across multiple Indian cities.

In recent months, authorities in urban centres such as Kochi and Lucknow have announced renewed drives to identify and remove unauthorised hoardings, while the Kerala High Court has issued sweeping directions to tackle what it termed “visual pollution” and associated risks.

The persistence of such structures has highlighted not only enforcement gaps but also the urgent need for a coherent and proactive application of existing laws.

In Kochi, the municipal corporation has launched city-wide inspections to catalogue “master boards” — large electronic advertisement boards – and act against any that breach regulations or obstruct pedestrians and vehicles. Officials have been tasked with reporting findings at the next council meeting, signalling a more systematic approach following sustained criticism.

In Lucknow, the municipal corporation has taken a stricter stance by ordering the removal of all illegal hoardings within a limited timeframe, and mandating that agencies install identification nameplates with permission and contact details to improve accountability.

Judicial Intervention: Courts Demand Action

Judicial scrutiny has intensified in recent months, particularly in Kerala, where the High Court described unauthorised hoardings, banners, flags and festoons in public spaces as “illegal” and liable to fines and penal action.

The court directed that local government officials – including secretaries of local self-government institutions – hold personal responsibility for removal efforts and to file action reports within stipulated timelines. It also ordered compliance from police chiefs to ensure enforcement of government orders.

The Kerala High Court’s emphasis on “visual pollution” – the idea that rampant, unlawful advertising disrupts visual environments and impacts public health and safety – underscores the broader civic dimension of the issue. The court further instructed the establishment of an online platform for citizens to lodge complaints directly about illegal hoardings, strengthening public participation in enforcement.

Such judicial engagement follows earlier orders by courts in other states to pull down illegal billboards and has amplified pressure on local bodies to act more decisively rather than relying on sporadic or cosmetic measures.

Enforcement Efforts and Persistent Gaps

City authorities beyond Kerala and Uttar Pradesh are also responding to growing public outcry and legal pressure. Civic drives in Pune have seen dedicated teams remove dozens of unauthorised hoardings from state and national highways, with officials citing both traffic safety and aesthetics as key motivations.

Similarly, in Hyderabad and its twin cities, municipal and regional authorities have carried out special removal drives, taking down scores of illegal hoardings and warning advertisers that structures without valid permissions will not be tolerated.

Yet, enforcement remains uneven. In Coimbatore, for example, illegal hoardings and banners have resurfaced on railway land after a stay order from the Madras High Court, illustrating the complex interplay between enforcement efforts and legal challenges.

Analysts say that such gaps are often due to overlapping jurisdictions, weak inter-agency coordination and slow follow-through on notices and fines. Illegal hoardings are regularly re-erected even after removal because penalties are insufficient as deterrents, and police or municipal agencies often prioritise other issues without sustained pressure.

Community groups have also pointed out that enforcement sometimes targets specific areas selectively, rather than systematically surveying entire urban corridors.

The Human Toll: Safety Incidents and Near Misses

The urgency of the problem was starkly illustrated by the deadly Mumbai billboard collapse in May 2024, where an illegal 120×120-ft billboard, three times larger than permitted toppled during heavy rains and killed at least 17 people while injuring dozens more.

The incident, which occurred near a petrol station in Ghatkopar, prompted immediate removal orders for other structures in the vicinity and the arrest of the responsible advertising agency’s owner on charges including culpable homicide.

Across the country, similar near-misses and smaller incidents have underscored the everyday risk posed by poorly sited or improperly secured hoardings. In Silchar, Assam, a large advertisement hoarding once collapsed onto a busy street during rain, narrowly missing a vehicle – an incident that sparked viral concern online about the structural integrity of such installations.

These events highlight the real human cost of lax policies and enforcement – from tragic fatalities to everyday hazards for pedestrians, motorists and roadside commuters.

Legal Tools and Citizen Action

Citizens and activists are increasingly wielding legal mechanisms to hold authorities accountable. Under Sections 152 and 168 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), police are mandated to treat such hoardings as public nuisances and, crucially, to act preventatively rather than reactively when complaints are filed.

These provisions create a clear legal basis for residents to demand police action before accidents occur. (Reference: User-provided legal context).

Moreover, the Information Technology Act’s Section 12(1) obliges electronic communication recipients — including authorities receiving complaints – to provide acknowledgement receipts, adding another layer of procedural accountability.

The Right to Information (RTI) Act empowers citizens to obtain records on permissions, action taken reports and enforcement statistics from public authorities within set timelines, especially where life and liberty are at stake. (Reference: User-provided legal context).

In practice, RTI requests and logged complaints have often revealed delays, missing documentation or approvals granted without public scrutiny, strengthening demands for action and transparency.

Towards Safer, Cleaner Public Spaces

While legislative and judicial directives provide a foundation for action, experts and advocates argue that sustained inter-agency coordination is essential. Alignment between police, civic bodies and planning authorities could help ensure that hoardings are not only legal but structurally safe and appropriately sited.

Stronger deterrents for repeat offenders, public complaint platforms and clearer signage identification rules – such as those introduced in Lucknow – can also enhance accountability.

Urban planning experts also stress the need to balance commercial interests in outdoor advertising with citizen rights to safety, unimpeded public spaces and a visually pleasing environment.

“What we are seeing is not just about aesthetics,” said an urban governance researcher, “but about protecting human life and ensuring accountability when private profit motives clash with public good.”

The Logical Indian’s Perspective

Illegal and hazardous hoardings in Indian cities lay bare a recurring governance challenge: despite laws, court directives and citizen demands, enforcement remains inconsistent, allowing risky structures to persist.

As cities like Kochi and Lucknow take fresh steps, and courts demand honest reporting and action, there are signs of progress – but more sustained effort is needed.

At The Logical Indian, we believe that civic safety and urban livability improve when citizens use legal tools constructively and authorities respond proactively and transparently.