Pune: The civic administration will reinforce the mandatory use of QR codes for legal hoardings starting Monday. These codes will contain details about the advertising agencies and the validity of each hoarding.“Hoardings without such codes will be deemed illegal and demolished. This decision was taken following complaints about unauthorised hoardings,” said Madhav Jagtap, head of Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) sky sign department.According to civic officials, there are currently 3,028 authorised advertisement boards across the city, and QR codes will be issued only to these. This measure is expected to make it easier to identify unauthorised hoardings.“Citizens will be able to scan the QR code using their mobile phones to access details such as the permit number, validity period, owner’s name, renewal status and relevant documentation,” a civic official said.The municipal corporation’s IT department will be responsible for generating the QR codes, while advertising agencies must ensure they are placed in designated spots.“Any hoarding found without a QR code, or where scanning fails to display information, will be considered illegal,” the official added.It may be noted that the provision for QR codes was introduced in the hoardings policy in 2022.Assistant commissioners at ward offices have been granted authority to take direct action against such hoardings.“Any modification to the information within the code will require prior approval from the corporation, with the IT department maintaining strict oversight. Agencies that fail to comply will face punitive action, and officials who neglect their duties will also be held accountable,” another civic official said.Activists, however, have criticised the move, calling it ineffective and alleging that enforcement will be lax.“Many civic officials are hand in glove with advertising agencies, along with some elected representatives. This has led to delays in action against illegal boards,” said Vijay Kumbhar of the Surajya Sangharsh Samiti, a citizens’ group.
