Wed Jan 01 12:49:31 UTC 2025: ## Coimbatore Consumer Group Challenges Tamil Nadu’s Advertising Rules Over Road Safety Concerns

**COIMBATORE, Tamil Nadu – January 1, 2025** – The Coimbatore Consumer Cause has criticized the Tamil Nadu Urban Local Bodies Rules 2023, arguing that they prioritize revenue generation over road safety by permitting advertisements in locations that violate Indian Road Congress (IRC) guidelines and court orders.

In a letter to the Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department, the consumer group’s secretary, K. Kathirmathiyon, highlighted that the new rules allow advertisements on road medians, traffic signals, and flyover pillars – areas deemed hazardous by the IRC and previously restricted under the 2003 guidelines. He cited the Madras High Court’s 2017 ruling (WP 12892/2017), which banned advertisements on traffic barricades due to driver distraction risks.

The Coimbatore Consumer Cause argues that the 2023 rules contradict this ruling and several previous public interest litigations they filed. They contend that the proliferation of roadside advertisements significantly increases the risk of accidents. The group urged the department to revise the rules to align with IRC safety standards and withdraw the current regulations, further expressing concern over the lack of action from the Transport and Road Safety Commissioner. They called for a prioritization of public safety over revenue generation in the placement of advertisements.

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