In a decisive move against illegal advertising, the Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) has mandated that all advertising agencies must install identification nameplates on their hoardings within three days. This directive, issued by the Publicity Department on Wednesday, comes after councillor Shailendra Verma raised the issue of numerous illegal unipolar hoardings in the Gomti Nagar area during a heated Corporation House session.

The new rule requires each hoarding to display the agency’s name, mobile number, and permission details from the LMC, including the duration of validity and hoarding number. This system is designed to quickly distinguish legal from illegal structures. The crackdown follows allegations from councillors across parties that irresponsible officials have allowed agencies to flout rules, causing significant revenue losses.

With officials claiming only 1,442 of the city's countless hoardings are legally licensed, angry corporators insisted the actual number is "in lakhs." Mayor Sushma Kharkwal has now ordered the removal of all illegal hoardings within one month. A special committee will monitor the process and a compliance campaign will be launched, with advertisements being removed from non-compliant hoardings after the deadline.