Maharashtra releases statewide hoarding policy 

In a move to increase non-tax revenue and bring regulatory uniformity, the Maharashtra government has unveiled its first comprehensive policy for outdoor advertising hoardings across the state, extending beyond Mumbai for the first time.

According to media reports, the new policy, issued through a Government Resolution (GR) by the Revenue and Forest Department, seeks to auction government land for hoardings in every district, potentially unlocking hundreds of crores in additional revenue.

e4m follow-up: Illegal hoardings

The initiative, pitched as a reform to improve transparency, land utilisation and job creation, also bars political hoardings during election periods. Officials quoted in media reports called the move “long overdue,” citing growing advertising demand in both urban and rural markets.

Under the new system, district collectors will identify suitable sites, including urban pockets, rural markets and highways, and auction them exclusively through digital e-auctions. Each district will function as a single auction unit, overseen by committees led by collectors and nodal officers.

BMC OOH policy

Bids will be calculated for the entire lease period upfront, with successful bidders required to deposit a year’s licence fee as security, a news story said.

As per the GR, only firms registered with the Directorate General of Information and Public Relations (DGIPR), with at least five years’ experience and a turnover double the reserve price over the past three years, will be eligible to participate. Applicants must also be based in Maharashtra.

Political hoardings

Leases will run for five years, with a one-time renewal option for another five years at a 25% fee hike, subject to compliance. Winning bidders must also provide free hoarding space for government campaigns for at least seven days each quarter. After the lease expires, hoardings must be dismantled at the allottee’s expense or face penalties, including forfeiture of deposits and blacklisting.

The policy also mandates that hoardings must not obstruct traffic signals, endanger public safety, or harm the environment.

e4m has earlier reported how the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is revamping its Out-of-Home (OOH) advertising policy, considering suggestions from citizens to allow hoardings on dead walls in buildings and housing societies.