Earlier, GHMC was utilising the services of the civil engineering department of Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University (JNTU) only for the purpose. Five more consulting engineering firms too have been permitted to give structural stability certificates.

The decision was taken after various advertising agencies have appealed for more departments and consulting engineers as the existing parties were said to be "very busy" with other infrastructural work.

Additional Commissioner (Advertisements) N.V.S. Reddy affirmed that old hoardings would be allowed to come up only after final detailed design drawings are submitted, structural stability certificates are produced and proof-checked for stability by the civil engineering departments.

"In any case we are not going to allow any new hoardings or uni-poles," he said. The policy will gradually be taken to all the surrounding municipalities, which have been clubbed with MCH now.