Govt departments putting up ads need NOC from KMC: Mayor
The Statesman | 28 July 2025
State and central government departments putting up advertisements hoardings will now have to mandatorily obtain no-objection certificate from Kolkata Municipal Corporation, informed mayor Firahd Hakim.
The norm is to be henceforth strictly followed after the state government gave a nod to the new advertisement policy of the KMC. Post the implementation of the latest policy, any state government body including the Kolkata Police and other offices before putting up a hoarding would have to obtain a no-objection certificate from the civic body. “Only KMC will provide the permission for display of advertisement,” pointed out Mr Hakim. “No other department will have any right to do this,” he added.
The norm would equally apply to the central government bodies like the Metro Railway. “Metro Rail and central government departments shall have to take NOC from KMC and share 50:50. Even if Kolkata Police wants to give ads, it would have to obtain an NOC so that there is one window,” he added.
As highlighted by the mayor, the norm has been brought to prevent loss of revenue from advertisements that the civic body had been facing for so long. “The advertisement matter is becoming a big syndicate that is taking away the revenue of the government. Because of this, we have enabled a single window and that is KMC.
Another crucial norm of the new policy, as underscored by the mayor, is that no advertisement hoarding could be put up on heritage buildings. Also, structural stability certificates for private hoardings are to be provided from time to time. The norm has been introduced keeping in mind particularly old buildings. The building department of the KMC would examine the situation. If the structure is found in dangerous condition, the civic body might even not allow hoardings on such buildings.