Bengaluru: While the cash-strapped BBMP is all set to increase its revenue by installing 10,000 new hoardings in the city, urban experts say this will affect the aesthetics of the city, if the locations for these new hoardings are not identified in a systematic way. They also suggest doing away with the flex banners by setting up digital hoardings, which will be eco-friendly.

There are no exact statistics on the number of hoardings in the city. BBMP's advertisement department has pegged the number of illegal hoardings at over 5,000 and legal hoardings at 2,000. But according to Manipal Global Education Chairiman T.V. Mohandas Pai there are one lakh illegal hoardings in the city.

He said, “First BBMP has to bring down all the illegal hoardings and clean up the city. In the next step, they have to mark locations where they are planning to install a new hoarding, specify its size and invite suggestions from the public and then come the bidding process.” He added that in this way hoardings can be prevented from destroying the ‘look’ of the city.

Even though hoardings are a hefty source of revenue for the BBMP, (they generate hundreds of crores) they still have to be monitored by an independent commission as the advertising firms work hand-in-glove with BBMP officials and are a roadblock to legitimate revenue, he explained.

Flex banners can be dispensed with totally, he opined. These have created safety hazards and damaged the aesthetics of the city. Digital hoardings will not harm the environment unlike flex banners, Pai said.

When DC approached urban expert R.K. Misra, he said, “No one can question the fact that BBMP can earn crores of rupees from these hoardings. But the places to install these hoardings should be chosen strategically so that they do not affect the look of the city.”

“Another factor - BBMP has to implement a strict rule on the size of the hoardings. Most of them are over-sized and stationed at odd places, marring the beauty of the city. They have to be brought down immediately. BBMP, which has banned plastic should also ban flex banners.”

Mayor Padmavathi said the dependence of BBMP on the state government for funds can be reduced to a great extent by generating money from new hoardings.