Digital Hoardings Hinder Visibility on Western Express Highway

The city administration of Mumbai is encouraging advertisers to digitize their billboards by decreasing the fee of exhibition space, as part of the city's beautifying campaign. There are currently 8–10 of these billboards throughout the city. Each of them display 8–10 advertisements daily.

Recently, Rupali, a journalist from Mumbai, tweeted about the issues brought on by these illuminated advertisements, that can lead drivers on the western express highway in Andheri (East) to lose their sight. This tweet was then followed up by other people who had faced similar problems in places like Juhu circle, Chembur etc. One of the people, claiming to have dyslexia tweeted that these lights make it impossible for him to focus on the road ahead and confuses him.

All accidents involving the Western Express highway are reported to the local police department in Andheri (east). "We have not received a single complaint or report of any accident caused by these digital hoardings," stated Head Constable Prakash Sahu. "A total of six accidents were filed in the past month that were brought on due to speeding, incompetence, and ignorance”, he continued.

The decision for putting up the digital hoardings was made by the authority of K/East ward of BMC, situated in Andheri (East). "Yes, we have come across the distress and trouble that the people are facing. We have issued an advisory to the advertising agencies, asking them to lower the brightness of the advertisements, so that it does not hinder their vision", said Ward

Executive Engineer Assistant Engineer (Maintenance), Pranav Ahirao.

He also explained that the advertisers have prohibited the use of flickering illumination in neon as it blinds the vision. Other than that, pointers provided in the notice, limit the usage of bright lights.

The traffic police officers stationed by the end of the western express highway said that the digital hoardings have had an impact on visibility, but no accidents have taken place yet.

One of the auto-rickshaw drivers, who regularly travels along Western Express Highway said, "System ka problem nahi hai, yeh naya naya technology itna develop hua hai toh insaan ko pagal kar diya hai. Insaan gadi chalate waqt bhi agar phone mai dekhega toh accident toh hoga hi." (It is not the systems' (government) fault. It is the widespread technological development that has made society go mad over the use of phones. If people use mobile phones even while driving, then accidents are bound to happen.)