New Delhi: In a move to plug revenue leakages and strengthen its financial position, Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) plans to use artificial intelligence (AI) and GIS mapping to digitally map all outdoor advertising sites across the city.It has proposed a 180-day pilot project which will help identify unauthorised advertisements, assess the commercial potential of existing sites and improve revenue generation through scientific planning and monitoring.Standing committee chairperson Satya Sharma said the initiative aims to ensure optimum utilisation of the corporation’s existing resources while identifying new revenue opportunities. “MCD has several avenues for generating income, but their potential needs to be fully tapped through better monitoring, transparency and technology-driven management,” she said.Delhi has a large number of hoardings, unipoles, kiosks, street furniture and other outdoor advertising structures. However, creating a centralised digital record of these assets will enable the corporation to assess their actual status, regulatory compliance and commercial potential, Sharma said.Under the proposal, a selected agency will undertake a city-wide survey, geo-tagging and GIS-based mapping of advertising assets at its own expense. The project will not entail any financial expenditure for MCD. “The proposal has been submitted for the corporation’s approval through the standing committee, with suggestions from its law and finance departments incorporated into the draft memorandum of understanding,” stated the civic body.A key feature will be the agency’s AI-based Visual Load Index (VLI) tool, which will analyse the number, visibility and placement of advertisements along roads and public spaces. It will identify locations and advertising corridors with higher commercial potential while flagging areas with excessive advertisements and visual clutter. The findings will help MCD rationalise advertising sites and improve their valuation, auction and tendering.The agency will also conduct a 360-degree virtual survey, recording photographs, locations, dimensions, lighting details and regulatory compliance of each site. Dashboards, heat maps and analytical reports will provide a comprehensive digital database for monitoring and management.Matching these digital records with registered advertising sites will help identify illegal structures and facilitate action against violations, preventing potential revenue losses.All data collected will remain MCD’s property and cannot be shared with third parties without its written permission. “The agreement will remain valid for 180 days, with MCD retaining the right to terminate it by giving 15 days’ notice in case of violations. Depending on the pilot’s outcome, the corporation will consider extending the project to other zones and the entire MCD area,” said Sharma.
