Company G | PHOTO CREDIT: NAGARA GOPAL
The legs across the bridges (FOBS), whose primary purpose is to save the lives of pedestrians, turn into Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), gigantic advertising and pay attention to the risk of public security.
Huge LED screens move along the entire length of the FOB in several places in the city, which is an insolent violation of government policy to allow pile of advertising over 15 feet to height with regard to public security. In addition, there is every risk that flashy plates will divert the attention of vehicles on the route, causing accidents.
Gigantic LED screens can be seen in FOBS in places like roads 3, Banjara Hills and near LV Prasad Eye Institute, which were apparently allowed on the basis of “experimental” before the government announces its policy for the same.
It is worrying that patients and serving who visit the hospital use FOB as a shelter to eat, sleep and digest nights. If the FOB collapses under the screen, the death may be very high.
“The fact that FOBS has not been designed or built to carry the weight of LED screens, contributes to concern, especially with regard to the risk they pose under the impact of monsoons,” says Uday Krishna Pedddireddi, who once participated in the design and installation of FOB for GHMC.
A massive billboard also appeared in front of a new multi -level parking complex near KBR park in violation of policy against accumulation over 15 feet in height. The purpose of the parking complex itself in terms of GHMC – whether for advertising income or as a public facility is also successful.
In 2020, the state government reported a ban on accumulation and unipols over 15 feet in height after several cases of collapse of such accumulations under unfavorable weather conditions. It was also a decision not to allow advertising to FOBS, which could cause distractions and accidents.
Officials informed on the condition of anonymity that policy against advertising on FOBS was sent to the government for review and a decision has to be taken. The new policy will apply to the newly built FOBS in 17 places in the city, they informed.
“FOBS on which advertising were exhibited were installed before the policy announcement. Agreements with advertising companies were signed,” the highly located official reported. However, he did not have the answer to whether the structures were strong enough to support the LED screens.
Published – 3 July 2025 20:58
