NMC to levy licence fees on shop signboards over 20sqft
Deputy Municipal Commissioner (Revenue) Milind Meshram confirmed that the department already initiated a survey to identify such boards under Hanuman Nagar zone and will gradually extend it to other zones. As per rules, NMC is empowered to charge Rs62.50 per sqm per month for illuminated boards, and Rs22 per sqm per month for non-illuminated ones, he said.
Citing the Maharashtra Municipal Corporations (Regulation and Control of Sky Sign and Advertisement) Rules, 2022, Meshram said, "There is a clear provision that mandates urban local body permission for any form of digital or illuminated shop signage boards.
Even non-illuminated boards above a certain size fall under regulation."
In addition to civic clearance, no objection certificates (NOCs) from the traffic police, local police station, and MSEDCL (power utility) are also required before erecting such boards.
While the regulation isn't new, earlier efforts by the civic body to implement this fee structure were met with stiff resistance. Several shopkeeper associations launched protests, terming the move as an additional financial burden.
Political parties too sided with the traders, pressuring the civic administration to withdraw the proposal.
However, with the dissolution of NMC general body and an administrator at the helm, officials say it is the right time to enforce long-pending regulations without political interference. "There's no elected body in place to stall the enforcement. We now have a window to implement it strictly and systematically," said a senior official in the revenue department.
The rule aims to regulate visual clutter and ensure that signage is safe, uniform, and does not obstruct traffic visibility or urban aesthetics. "Most of these large boards are erected without any permission or safety checks. It's not just about revenue — it's also about public safety and orderly urban design," Meshram said.
The civic body expects to generate significant revenue through this initiative, especially from prime commercial zones like Dharampeth, Sitabuldi, and Itwari, where oversized and illuminated shop boards are rampant.
NMC plans to complete the survey across all ten zones in the coming months and begin issuing notices to violators. Traders will be given time to regularise their signage or face penalties under the MMC Act.
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