Hawkers and advertisers will feel the pinch due to the increase of their monthly hoarding and hawking charges, as MCGM gears up to usher in a new tariff regime
Hawkers and advertisers will feel the pinch with the increase of their monthly hoarding and hawking charges as the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM), which is reeling under a financial crisis, is likely to implement revised rates, reports PTI.
According to MCGM, the monthly advertisement and hoarding charges are likely to be increased by nearly 50%. At present MCGM charges for hoardings, billboards, wall paintings, balloon ads and street furniture are Rs300 per square meter (sq m) per month. This will be hiked to Rs550 per sq m.
"The civic body will hike charges to be collected from hawkers and those putting up hoardings as well. The increase in charges of both advertisements and hoardings have been approved by the law committee," a civic official from the license department said.
"The hoarding fees have been passed by a general body meeting as well, but (the proposed increase in) hawking charges still awaits a nod," the official added.
MCGM's finance division has instructed all departments to cut down on expenditure and revise rates of civic services to tide over the financial crisis.
Charges for neon signs and electronic scrollers along with other outdoor media vehicles will be increased from Rs450 to Rs800. Cost for billboards on top of buildings, government buses, and electricity poles will be increased from Rs120 to Rs200.
Hawking fees for both roving and sitting hawkers have been doubled. For roving hawkers, the charges will be increased from Rs25 per sq m to Rs50 per sq m and for sitting hawkers from Rs90 per sq m to Rs180 per sq m.
The city has nearly 4.5 lakh hawkers of which around 15,000 are authorised to carry out their business. There are 2,300 different kinds of hoardings in the city.
"The civic body earns Rs61 crore from hoardings and after implementation of revised rates it is likely to earn another Rs35 crore," the official said.
The MCGM had revised the license fee for hawkers and hoarding fees for advertisers in 1997 and 2003, respectively.
"Every year there will be a 10% increase in both the charges," the official said.
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