Districts in Hanoi are successfully managing billboard advertisements that can render urban areas unsightly, officials have said. 

Districts in Hanoi are successfully managing billboard advertisements that can render urban areas unsightly, officials have said. 

Bui Minh Hoang, Director of the Culture Management Division under the Hanoi Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, gave an assessment on Sunday of advertisement management in the capital city recently.

Among local residents, organisations and enterprises, awareness of the issue had improved significantly, he said.

The capital city did not see billboards cropping up uncontrollably along main roads in recent days, said Hoang.

Earlier, the capital city organised two campaigns to dismount rul-violating billboards along roads in the city. As a result, 183 out of 190 violating billboards were torn down and 149 out of 149 violating lights along concrete median strips were destroyed. The inspectors also asked owners to adjust the content of more than 40,100 billboards, and adjust the size of nearly 5,100 others.

The campaigns proved the city authorities’ determination to create a beautiful landscape for the capital, according to Hoang.

“The city’s determination is highly appreciated by local residents,” he said.

Before 2007, Hanoi set up a regulatory regime for big-sized billboards focused on promoting socio-economic development. The capital city updated the scheme in 2012. The current rules designate more than 500 places in seven main roads of the city where billboards may legally be placed.

At present, the city authorities are setting up the rules for outdoor advertisements that will take effect by 2020, and beginning initial planning with an eye towards 2050. The scheme includes adjusting the billboard placement spots on the seven old main roads above, and creating a new plan for 15 other roads. It is expected that more than 900 spots will be mentioned in the plan.

Local residents, organisations and enterprises are encouraged to submit ideas during the planning. The Hanoi Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism will collect the ideas and submit to the Hanoi People’s Committee for approval.

"The new plan for billboards is expected to improve the face of the city and improve organisations’ and individuals’ awareness of regulations regarding the size and content of billboards," said Hoang. 

VNS