Cuttack: Illegal advertisements, paintings and posters on roadside walls have been affecting the beauty of the Silver City, alleged locals as well as social activists.
They claimed that many private companies and advertising agencies have been using the roadside walls in the city for advertisement without receiving any approval in this regard from the Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC).
The CMC has put restrictions on advertisements and posters on roadside walls of the city. However, private companies and advertising agencies have been using the roadside walls in almost all localities of the city including Satichaura, Buxi Bazar, College Square and Purighat for advertisement for last several days, sources said.
These private companies usually draw paintings and put up posters on the roadside walls to advertise their products. These illegal advertisements are disfiguring the walls, locals said.
According to sources, private agencies charge around Rs 40 per foot for wall painting advertising. However, they do not pay a single rupee to the CMC.
“We have not received any approval from the CMC to use roadside walls for advertisement. No official from the civic body has told us anything on the issue,” said an employee of an outdoor advertising agency.
Former corporator Giribala Behera said outdoor advertising companies are getting crores of rupees by using roadside walls for advertisement. “The CMC has been losing out on huge revenue in this regard,” Behera added.
When contacted, CMC commissioner Ananya Das said the civic body will look into issue and take steps to collect revenue from wall painting advertising in city.
