Looking at the huge Flex and banners in Uttarahalli Circle in Bengalur. | Photo Credit: K. Murali Kumar
According to Bruhhat Bengalur Mahanagar Palike (BBMP) and the police continue to flood Bengalura and the police, and the police continue to flood Bengaluru and the police and continue to flood the police and the police and the police.
Over the last 16 months – in the fiscal year 2024-25 and to date – the police have filed 461 companies against illegal ads, while the BBMP removed 27 207 flexes and collected ₹ 4.08 Lakh in a fine, data reviewed by the Hindu show.
The Mahadevapura zone is a list of 113 edible according to the Karnataka Open Places (Prevention of Disfigurement) from 1981, followed by the Western zone with 91, Yelahanka with 69 and the Southern Zone with 56.
In 2018, the High Court in Karnataka imposed a blanket for bends. Since then, the BBMP has cleared them and reserves the perpetrators. Yet banners appear during religious events and political opportunities.
“Politicians often give these banners overnight for birthdays or small events. After questioning, they ask us to first remove banners of competing politicians,” BBMP said. Officials admit that the problem concerns more about competition than necessity. If one politician builds 100 banners, the opponents will ensure that the next day will rise 101. Such competitions are common in eastern and western zones, he said.
Religious programs are another opportunity when the streets are dotted with Flex and banners. BBMP receives numerous requirements for Flex authorization every month. “We allow them from respect for religious feelings, the organizers’ warning to remove them within a few hours of the event. With a limited working force, BBMP is trying to balance the pace at which banners appear overnight.
Last year, the BBMP hovered twice to outsource the removal of Flex, but no supplier used. Officials attribute it to the fear of politicians. The civic body is now banking on the project of attaching cameras equipped with AI on official vehicles to monitor real -time banners.
BBMP emphasizes that politicians justify some banners as essential for consciousness. For example, the southern and southeastern parts of the city are dotted banners about the unity of e-khata, tied to poles and trees. The banners remain in place long after the end of the event, and although technically qualified as advertising, they are presented as “bending awareness of development”.
The police said that the weak law causes that coercion coercion is toothless. The law prescribes a fine of less than 2,000 and up to six months of imprisonment, but the perpetrators easily ensure bail.
“If someone installs 20 or 30 banners, the fine is the same as one banner,” said police commissioner Akshay Hakay Machindra. “Since the banner itself costs more than a fine, they gave more without hesitation,” he said, adding that the police often connect their hands with BBMP to clean the banners and sometimes take cases of Suo Mot. “But they’re still coming back,” he said.
In the middle of these fears, officials attach hope to a written petition on ads, currently at the High Court. “If the court pulls out politicians and regulations of strict measures, the city can finally see less illegal banners,” the policeman said.
Published – 17th August 2025 17:50
