Crackdown on unlicensed billboards

Abu Dhabi City Municipality has launched a campaign to combat randomly placed advertising signs cluttering streets, public utilities and lampposts in Al Wathba.

These signs, which lack official approval from the authorities, distort the appearance of the city and pose environmental hazards.

The campaign comes in the context of the municipal system's vision and keenness to protect the appearance of cities and suburbs from all types of distorting elements.

The campaign stresses the importance of compliance with laws and regulations governing the use of public facilities, streets and roundabouts, and reminds community members of the need to obtain official approvals and permits from competent authorities.

The Municipal System in Abu Dhabi has called on the community to contribute to realising these objectives and abstaining from installing illegal signs in public utilities, lampposts, bus stations, building entrances or any other facilities, as they pose a threat to the traffic safety and mar the outlook of streets, roundabouts, facilities and infrastructure.

The inspection and monitoring teams targeted Al Wathba area where this phenomenon is increasingly rampant. Apart from the confusion and distortion, such huge randomly installed signs are placed to promote services, goods and commercial outlets without obtaining official permits from the municipality or its strategic partners. This necessitated the launch of this campaign to monitor and curb this phenomenon in a bid to maintain the civilised appearance of the city, where 13 offences were issued by the civic body against violators.

Pursuant to law No. 2/2012, and public realms regulation, violators who affix unlicensed advertisements on bus shelters or building facades are hit with a fine of AED 1,000 to be paid within 30 days, otherwise the municipality will refer the case to the court.

The municipality reminded all community members of the importance of adhering to the rules of installing signboards at streets and obtaining the necessary permits to avoid offenses. This reflects the municipality’s keenness to promote partnership and cooperative relations with the community to protect public facilities, maintain the civilised appearance of cities and remove signboards upon the expiry of their permits.

The campaign, which will continue until the phenomenon is completely eradicated, covers several areas at Al Wathba where random signs are being monitored.

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