The Kolkata Municipal Corporation has prohibited setting up temporary Puja hoardings and banners along EM Bypass, citing visibility issues for drivers and the safety of the structures.

The municipal commissioner of Calcutta issued a circular on Wednesday warning about possible "penal action as per law" if the order was not followed.

The structures and the temporary advertisements that have already come up will be removed.

Metro reported on Tuesday how hoardings and banners mounted on bamboo frames had sprung up along the city’s pavements in violation of the rules laid down in the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (Advertisement Policy) Regulations, 2025, notified earlier this year.

The policy allows temporary advertisements during Durga Puja from seven days before Mahalaya — September 21 this year — and up to seven days after Dashami -- October 2 this year.

The hoardings have cropped up along Rashbehari Avenue in the south, EM Bypass in the east, and along Bhupen Bose Avenue, APC Road and Aurobindo Sarani near the Sovabazar Metro crossing in the north. Digital advertisements have also started playing along Rashbehari Avenue near Deshapriya Park.

Wednesday's circular by the municipal commissioner says: "It has been observed that several Puja Committees, Clubs, and other organisations place hoardings, banners, and flex advertisements along the EM Bypass during the festive season. Such displays often obstruct visibility for commuters and lead to serious accidents, endangering public safety."

It adds: "In view of this, it is hereby directed that no advertisements, banners, flex boards, or hoardings of any kind shall be displayed or erected anywhere along EM Bypass by any Puja Committee, Club, or other organisation (not authorised by KMC)."

The order does not mention anything about the other roads where the temporary hoardings have come up.

"They are a threat to public safety anywhere. The tall walls of hoardings can collapse anywhere, especially on flyovers, where strong gusts of wind from the two sides that are wide open can bring down the structures," said a south Calcutta resident.

Debashis Kumar, the mayoral council member in charge of advertisements, and parks and sqaures, said an accident on EM Bypass last year prompted the rethink.

"One of the temporary advertisement structures collapsed last year on commuters, which is why we have prohibited the advertisements on Bypass this year," said Kumar.