Despite Karnataka’s ban on advertisement on vehicles, there are hordes of vehicles that run on the streets of the city sporting commercials of all kinds.
Bibek Baidya
On the streets of Bengaluru, in traffic jams and at parking lots, hordes of buses and cars bearing advertisements of all sorts are not hard to spot. These vehicles advertise everything from food delivery companies to television shows.
After a ban on outdoor advertisements, hoardings and flexes by the Karnataka High Court in 2018, advertising on public vehicles and other private taxis has increased in the city.
Government buses, auto-rickshaws and taxis bear ads on their doors and on the trunk.
In Bangalore, a huge number of Public vehicles are found with the advertisement on their doors and back portion, though court ban ads on 2018. This vehicle includes BMTC buses, Auto-rickshaws and cabs. . Most of the ads are from banks, food companies, television shows, product promotions, etc.
Additional Commissioner of Transport Mr. Umashankar B.P says “Ads on all kinds of public vehicles are banned even for ola and uber. In 2018 Karnataka High Court banned advertisements in all public forums. Advertisements on bank policy, products launched etc,and can distract other commuters and drivers which cause distraction on the road while traveling. Our Department had spoken to these franchises but they have no concern, so randomly we caught those cars and fined them.”
After court order in 2018,Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palika(BBMP) banned advertisement in 2018 of all kinds of adds, from that time ads on public vehicles , are the main places of ads for the advertisers
Ads designer company, CMD, Designer and Flex Printer in Jayanagar said “We print ads at a cost of Rs. 3000. For outside doors in cars and additional Rs.1500 for the back of the car.”
Sahil a driver said “the company decides the advertisement on cars and we get a monthly payment of Rs.1000-1500 from the company. Our payment is not very in-consistent, . After two months we receive the payment from the company. When Soft copy asked about the fine he replied that “two-three of my friends were fined by police, but I have never been fined the fine depends on how much the ad is covered, it’s between Rs.2000-3000.”
Uber, main attachment Bangalore office marketing head, Mr. Sayed Rahil told “We don’t have any kind of contact with any organization. Most of the drivers have their cars and tie-up with different agencies for ads. But we strictly watch for those cars who display ads on the cars.”
BBMP, Advertisement Department official Mr. Krishnakumar M.P. said “department has banned all kinds of ads from 2018 to public platforms. But these on cabs are a mess. We have special team collaboration with the Bangalore Police Department to look after and we are constantly working on this matter.”
BBMP, ad department official Mr. Srinivasan said “from the march 2019 all kind of permit for ads in public vehicles has been banned. The existing ones are before March 2019, if after March 2019 any vehicles on public have ads on they are not authorized by BBMP.”
