Maharashtra to allow hoardings on vacant land owned by govt: Bawankule

Mumbai: The Maharashtra government will soon introduce a policy for allowing hoardings on unused government lands, Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule said on Wednesday.

The owner of the bidding agency should be a resident of Maharashtra and the successful bidder must provide space on the hoarding for government advertisements free for a minimum of seven days every quarter, he said.

The minister also clarified that the lease agreement would be terminated after the fixed period, and no extension would be granted under any circumstances.

"We are formulating a comprehensive policy to regulate advertisement hoardings on unutilised government land. The policy must be transparent, promote local interests, and contribute to revenue generation," he said after senior revenue officials made a presentation in the presence of Additional Chief Secretary (Revenue) Rajesh Kumar.

Bawankule said inputs from all districts must be taken into account.

He said agencies bidding for hoarding contracts must be registered with the Directorate General of Information and Public Relations (DGIPR) of the Maharashtra government and must have a minimum of three years' experience in the advertising sector.

"The owner of the bidding agency must be a resident of Maharashtra to encourage local entrepreneurs," Bawankule said, adding that the entire process will be conducted under the supervision of the revenue department to ensure administrative transparency and efficiency.

He said district collectors will be required to identify suitable government land in their jurisdictions for setting up hoardings, specifying the area and hoarding size, and conducting an e-auction process.

"The successful bidder must provide space on the hoarding for government advertisements free of cost for a minimum of seven days every quarter," Bawankule said.

The minister also clarified that the lease agreement would be terminated after the fixed period, and no extension would be granted under any circumstances.

"If an extension is granted due to a court stay, the licensee will be required to pay double the prescribed fee," he added.

He stated that district collectors must complete the next e-auction process six months before the lease expiry and ensure that the licensee obtains all necessary approvals from planning authorities, the collector, and other relevant bodies before installing the hoardings.

"Collectors must also submit a monthly report to the government detailing all permitted, expired, or cancelled hoardings," Bawankule said, adding that an annual licensing fee will be charged as per the upcoming policy.