Digital ads on Mumbai's coastline to cost ₹1,000/sq.m under new MMB rules

The Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB) has formally notified new regulations governing the display of advertisements across all land and infrastructure falling under its jurisdiction, covering jetties, ports, coastal zones, and associated buildings along Maharashtra's coastline. 

The regulations, titled the Maharashtra Maritime Board (Regulation of Display of Advertisements) Regulations, 2026, were issued under authority of Sections 28 and 30 of the Maharashtra Maritime Board Act, 1996.

The regulations establish a comprehensive framework under which no individual, business, or agency may display any form of advertisement — including hoardings, banners, glow signs, LED panels, digital displays, and flex boards — within MMB-controlled areas without prior written permission from the Board's designated authority.

The new rules vest authority in an "Advertising Authority" — defined as the officer or committee designated by the Board — to scrutinise applications, issue permissions, impose conditions, inspect sites, and cancel or suspend licences. A separate Appellate Authority, to be designated by the Board, will hear challenges to decisions made at the first level.

Applicants must submit requests on the prescribed form, accompanied by a detailed site plan showing dimensions, materials, structural design with load calculations signed by a licensed structural engineer, an NOC from the relevant port or jetty authority, and applicable fees. Applications are to be processed within 60 days of submission of a complete dossier; failure by the authority to respond within this window does not imply deemed approval.

"No person shall display or cause to be displayed any advertisement on any land, building, structure or property under the jurisdiction of the Board without prior written permission."

The Maharashtra Maritime Board's 2026 Advertisement Regulations prescribe a tiered fee structure calibrated to the type, size, and permanence of the advertising display. Digital and LED screens attract the highest levy at ₹1,000 per square metre annually, reflecting their higher visual impact and power infrastructure requirements. Conventional hoardings and large-format displays are charged at ₹500 per square metre per year, while illuminated glow signs and backlit boards are pegged at ₹300 per square metre. 

Flex and vinyl banners carry the lowest rate among permanent-style formats at ₹200 per square metre annually. Temporary and event-based displays are charged a flat fee of ₹2,000 per event, irrespective of size. In addition to the annual permission fee, every applicant must furnish a refundable security deposit — ranging from ₹2,000 for temporary banners to ₹25,000 for digital screens — which is returned only upon the licensee removing the advertisement and restoring the site to its original condition at the conclusion of the permit period. 

All fees are payable in advance and are explicitly non-refundable once paid and renewal applications must be submitted at least 30 days before an existing permission lapses to avoid a lapse in authorisation. All fees are payable in advance and are non-refundable. A security deposit — refundable upon the licensee removing the advertisement and restoring the site to its original condition at the end of the permit period — is also required. Renewal must be sought at least 30 days before the expiry of the existing permission.

The regulations enumerate categories of advertisement content and locations that are outright prohibited. Content that is obscene, communally sensitive, politically motivated (except during validly notified election periods under separate law), defamatory, or that misrepresents public authority cannot be displayed. 

Advertisements for tobacco, liquor, and pan masala are banned, consistent with existing national advertising codes.Certain locations within MMB jurisdiction are also declared off-limits for any advertisement: within 50 metres of jetty approach channels and navigational aids, on structures housing safety equipment, on heritage-listed or environmentally sensitive coastal structures, and on any structure where an advertisement could obstruct the line of sight of vessel operators or port traffic controllers.

All advertisements above a prescribed size threshold must be accompanied by a structural stability certificate issued by a licensed structural engineer. The certificate must confirm that the structure can withstand wind loads as per relevant Indian Standards (IS 875), seismic conditions applicable to the coastal zone, and the dead load of the advertising material itself.

Electrical installations associated with illuminated or digital displays must conform to the Indian Electricity Rules and must carry periodic safety certifications. All wiring, power connections, and earthing must be inspected every six months by a qualified electrical contractor whose certificate must be filed with the Advertising Authority.

The licensee is responsible for the maintenance of the advertisement and the structure at all times. In the event of a structural failure or safety risk, the Board reserves the right to remove the advertisement at the licensee's expense and to recover costs as arrears of land revenue.Permissions are granted for a maximum of one year at a time for hoardings and permanent structures, and on a per-event or per-campaign basis for temporary displays. 

Renewal applications must be submitted no later than 30 days prior to expiry. The Advertising Authority may impose additional or revised conditions at the time of renewal, including revised fee schedules, updated structural requirements, or changed location constraints arising from new port development plans.The Advertising Authority or any officer authorised by the Board has the power to inspect any advertisement within MMB jurisdiction at any time. Where an advertisement is found to be displayed without permission, or where an existing permission has been violated, the Authority can issue a show-cause notice requiring the party to respond within 15 days. Following due process, the authority may suspend or cancel the permission, direct removal of the advertisement within a specified period, and initiate recovery of dues.

Where an advertisement poses an immediate structural or navigational safety risk, the authority may order its summary removal without notice and without prejudice to any further action.

Any party aggrieved by an order of the Advertising Authority may appeal to the Appellate Authority within 30 days of receiving the order. The appeal must be accompanied by the prescribed appeal fee. The Appellate Authority is required to dispose of appeals within 60 days of their filing, after giving the appellant a reasonable opportunity of being heard. Decisions of the Appellate Authority are final within the Board's regulatory hierarchy, though nothing in the regulations bars recourse to courts of competent jurisdiction.