Dedicated publicity walls to replace illegal posters across Vijayawada

Vijayawada: Nearly a decade after Vijayawada was officially declared a “poster-free city” during the Krishna Pushkaralu in 2016, the civic administration is making another attempt to tackle the persistent problem of illegal wall posters that continue to deface public spaces across the city.Despite repeated warnings, fines and enforcement drives, posters advertising everything from movies and educational institutions to religious gatherings and job opportunities continue to appear on flyovers, compound walls, govt buildings and private properties. Removing these posters has become a costly and time-consuming exercise for the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC), which spends considerable resources cleaning up public spaces.In a fresh initiative, municipal authorities have decided to establish dedicated publicity walls at key junctions and public locations across the city. The project is currently being implemented on a pilot basis near Benz Circle, one of Vijayawada’s busiest intersections.Under the proposed system, individuals and organisations wishing to display advertisements or announcements will be required to use only these designated walls.

Authorities believe this will help curb the indiscriminate pasting of posters elsewhere in the city.The dedicated publicity walls are being designed to be both functional and visually appealing. Officials plan to incorporate decorative elements, greenery, lighting facilities and reflective features to ensure that advertisements remain visible even at night while enhancing the area’s appearance.Municipal officials have reiterated that strict action will continue against violators.

Existing regulations provide for fines of up to ₹1 lakh for unauthorised poster displays, and authorities have already imposed penalties in several cases. Printing presses have also been warned against producing illegal publicity material.If successful, the initiative could become a major step towards restoring Vijayawada’s appearance and achieving the long-standing goal of making the city genuinely poster-free. Officials are also considering policies regarding user fees and regulations for the use of the dedicated publicity spaces.