Muscat Municipality has ordered immediate action on rooftop billboards that do not meet safety and maintenance requirements."We have noticed that an increasing number of such hoardings are not properly maintained, leaving the city at risk in terms of health, safety and environment.
In order to address the issue, we have given owners of these hoardings time till May 12 to take action by ensuring that they are cleaned, covered with proper weatherproof material, professionally managed and securely fixed to avoid falling off," a Muscat Municipality official told Muscat Daily.
The move is intended to keep buildings, public spaces and the skyline from looking ugly and ensure safety. "Failure to take action will result in cancellation
of their licences and immediate removal of the hoardings," the official said.
"Because these hoardings are useful for residents and visitors alike, they need to look good and should be safe. We also do not want these hoardings to be the cause of fires," he said.
The outdoor advertising industry is managed by Muscat Municipality which formulates and implementats appropriate guidelines and policies.
"Rooftop advertising in Muscat has seen rapid growth over the past few years. However, many hoardings do not meet standards.
"A dedicated department was set up to look into this and ensure that guidelines are implemented," the official said.
The official also said that the advertisement's content needs to get approved before the hoardings are put up.
"Muscat Municipality reserves the right to reject any signage proposal whose overall objectives are not met or where the proposal is contrary to the broader objectives for Muscat city's beautification," he said.
The municipality also reserves the right to have illegal or unapproved boards removed at the expense of the party installing the advertisement. "Licences can be revoked for non-compliance with the requirements and if advertisers don't seek approvals on the advertisement content," the official said.
© Muscat Daily 2012
