KDMC Probe Reveals 400 Illegal Hoardings, ₹60 Crore Revenue Loss From Tender Lapses

A Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) inquiry committee has found that nearly 400 of the 600 hoardings across the civic limits are unauthorized. The municipal corporation is estimated to have suffered a revenue loss of ₹50–60 crore due to the absence of a competitive tendering process for hoarding contracts since 2014. The KDMC's Property Department has not conducted a fresh tender for hoarding installation and operation in over a decade, instead repeatedly renewing existing contracts with agencies.

The committee found that KDMC should have earned ₹10–15 crore annually from hoarding advertisements, but currently generates only around ₹4 crore. Committee Chairman Deepesh Mhatre cited the lack of transparent and competitive bidding as the cause. Unauthorized LED displays and billboards have encroached on prime locations including major roads, busy intersections and railway station areas, affecting urban aesthetics and municipal revenue.