In a significant move to regulate the city's visual landscape, authorities in Bengaluru have initiated a crackdown on unauthorised digital advertising displays. Numerous illegal LED advertisement boards have been forcibly switched off across prominent locations in the city centre.
Key Locations Targeted in Enforcement Drive
The enforcement action is visibly concentrated in some of Bengaluru's busiest commercial and retail corridors. Blank and dark LED boards can now be seen on MG Road, Brigade Road, and Richmond Road, where they once flashed bright commercials throughout the day and night. While the power to these boards has been cut, the physical structures themselves have not yet been removed from their positions.
This initiative is not limited to the city's southern parts. Officials have confirmed that similar action has been initiated in the northern zones of Bengaluru, which fall under the administrative jurisdiction of the Bengaluru North City Corporation. This indicates a city-wide effort to tackle the issue of non-compliant outdoor advertising.
A Push to Revive Regulated Outdoor Advertising
The drive to disconnect these LED boards is part of a broader push by civic bodies to revive and properly manage the outdoor advertising sector in Bengaluru. For years, the proliferation of illegal hoardings and digital signages has been a point of contention, cited for causing visual pollution, public safety hazards, and significant revenue loss for the municipal corporations.
By switching off boards that have been erected without proper permits and without paying the requisite fees, the authorities are sending a clear message about enforcing existing regulations. The move aims to create a level playing field and ensure that only approved advertisements, which meet safety and zoning norms, are displayed in public spaces.
What Happens Next?
The current step of turning off the displays is likely just the first phase. The bigger challenge lies in the physical removal of these often large and structurally installed boards. It remains to be seen if the corporations will issue removal notices to the advertisers and landowners or undertake a demolition drive.
The report on this enforcement action was filed by Naveen Menezes and was last updated on 08 January 2026, at 21:22 IST. The development marks a critical juncture in Bengaluru's ongoing struggle to balance commercial advertising interests with urban aesthetics and regulatory compliance.
