HYDRAA removes 42 illegal unipoles; UNI Ads, Prakash Arts, Lead Space under radar

Hyderabad: HYDRAA has removed 42 unauthorised advertising unipoles erected without permission across the twin cities.

After pulling down several encroachments in water bodies, parks and government lands, the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) said it is now cracking a whip on unauthorised advertising unipoles while also involving the respective advertisement agencies.

What are the agencies that create space for public adverts in Hyderabad?

Unipole (or monopole) advertising signs are usually billboard-type structures mounted atop a single steel pole or column.

Leading advertising agencies such as Prakash Arts Pvt Ltd, Lead Space, UNI ADs and minor advertisement agencies such as PVS Ads, IKAR Ads, Ispace Advertisement, Surbahi Advertisement, UK Ads, B&M Ads, Sainath Ads, Foresite, I Catch advertising agency and others have come under the HYDRAA commissioner AV Ranganath’s radar.

Among the 42 unipoles removed, 12 (beside ORR) were removed from Kishanguda (Ootpally), Rallaguda and Kothwalguda; and 11 unipoles removed from Tondupally, Sama Exclusive (Madhuranagar), Gollapally and Shamshabad.

The list includes three hoardings (beside ORR) removed in Rallaguda, 12 hoardings from Siddanthi Graveyard, Rallaguda and Tondulapally and one uni-structure at Tondulapally.

The authorities emphasised that this measure is part of a larger effort to regulate outdoor advertising, ensuring compliance with municipal regulations and preventing unlawful structures from cluttering public spaces.

Removed unipoles had expired permits

The enforcement teams removed advertisement hoardings, including those with expired permits and completely unauthorised ones with no government approval or notice.

The HYDRAA officials said they will provide more clarity on advertisement hoarding policies after discussions with the government.

Hoardings removal special drives

On February 7, HYDRAA, along with Shamshabad municipality authorities conducted a special drive and removed hoardings erected without permission on both sides of the Hyderabad-Bengaluru National Highway, prioritising high-traffic zones such as Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Shamshabad.

In a similar drive conducted by the HYDRAA on February 10, the enforcement teams removed five unauthorised hoardings, unipoles and flexes in Narsingi.

‘Other types of illegal ad boards will also be checked’

Speaking to the NewsMeter, HYDRAA commissioner AV Ranganath said that many of the unipoles are unauthorised (companies have illegally occupied the space without permission) causing a loss to the state exchequer. In some cases, they have only paid for one and occupied more than one space. Despite lapses in permissions these companies continue to do business on unipoles without official sanction, he said.

Ranganath also said complaints have been filed against the advertisement companies in Shamshabad and Narsingi police stations during in the special drives.

“We will be using jaw crushers to remove these unipoles resulting in monetary loss to the company. Once the HYDRAA police station is operational, action against illegal ads on all types of structures will be intensified,” he said.