MAM
Bombay high court to hear OOH players’ plea on 12 June
MUMBAI: On 5 June, the Bombay High Court, while hearing the plea of Mumbai OOH owners, extended its stay order till 12 June, for waiver of license fee on hoardings for the month of May 2020. According to the verdict, the exemption will only be given to the eight OOH players that have already appealed for the waiver in May.
Creation Publicity Pvt Ltd, Bright Advertising Pvt Ltd, Orion Advertisers, Anurag Sites, Em Vee Advertising Company, Pingle Outdoor, Yoag Advertisers and Pioneer Publicity Corporation Ltd are the players who will get the exemption.
The court has issued a notice to the petitioners to submit the amendments in their petitions to the municipal corporation within a period of two weeks, if there are any. In the meantime, earlier order passed by the court will continue i.e., no coercive steps should be taken by the authority for not paying taxes.
Bright Media Outdoors CMD Yogesh Lakhani shares that due to the crises, all businesses are downhill. “We have requested the civic body to waive off the fee because of the unprecedented crises. For the next four to five months, the situation only looks grim. If people are not stepping out, who will see the hoardings?” he says.
The court also mentioned that the senior counsel appearing for the municipal corporation has asked for a week’s time to take instructions in the matter, due to which no further proceedings could be done.
Sharing the same sentiment as Lakhani, another OOH owner, who opted to be anonymous, says, “Paying such a heavy amount for the period when businesses all over the globe are going through a lull doesn’t make any sense. We are glad that the court has given an extension. While the country is slowly opening up businesses, it seems we will be in a better position in a few months from now.”
Lemma Technologies founder and CEO Gulab Patil says that there has been a heavy impact on the media side, “Most of the advertisers usually plan campaigns in advance, but no one saw this coming. Not just the civic bodies, the publishers are also asking for payments and it puts people in a tough spot. We are just settling down the minimum requirement from the publisher side. We are asking our clients to balance on that.”
As per the high court’s order issued on 5 June, the municipal corporation sought a week's time to take instructions in the matter. If any of the petitioners are desirous of amending the petition, they shall forward the draft amendment to the municipal corporation within a period of two weeks.
MAM
BLR Airport Launches ‘Connections’ Service to Ease Transit Travel
New initiative targets smoother transfers as Bengaluru hub traffic rises 30 per cent.
MUMBAI: Missed connections may be a traveller’s nightmare but Bengaluru is trying to make them a thing of the past. Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru (BLR Airport) has rolled out ‘Connections by BLR’, a new transfer programme designed to take the friction out of connecting journeys. Built around three pillars ease, efficiency and experience,the initiative aims to simplify what is often the most stressful leg of air travel.
The move comes as transfer traffic at BLR Airport climbs sharply, up more than 30 per cent year-on-year. Transfers currently account for around 15 per cent of total passenger traffic and are projected to touch 20 per cent by 2026, signalling a clear shift in how the airport is positioning itself within airline networks.
At its core, the programme focuses on making navigation intuitive and downtime more comfortable. Dedicated transfer desks have been set up across terminals, supported by colour-coded wayfinding blue and yellow signage designed for quick recognition. Inter-terminal movement is being streamlined through complimentary shuttle services with predictable wait times, while designated transfer zones aim to reduce passenger confusion.
Beyond logistics, the airport is leaning into experience. Travellers in transit now have access to a wider choice of lounges, curated retail and food and beverage options, as well as sleeping pods for short stays. For longer layovers, transit hotels in both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 offer boutique in-terminal accommodation, an increasingly sought-after feature as global travel patterns evolve.
The timing is strategic. BLR Airport now connects to 114 passenger destinations 80 domestic and 34 international with key routes spanning Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Pune domestically, and Singapore, London Heathrow, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Kuala Lumpur internationally. Recent additions such as Hindon, Bidar and Silchar within India, alongside Dammam, Hanoi and Riyadh overseas, are further expanding its reach.
Infrastructure is also catching up with ambition. Developments including the West Cross Taxiway, Terminal 1 refurbishment and Terminal 2 expansion are laying the groundwork for higher capacity and smoother operations critical for any airport aiming to become a serious transfer hub.
Bangalore International Airport Limited chief operating officer Girish Nair framed the initiative as both a response to demand and a forward-looking play. He pointed to the growing depth of the airport’s network and the opportunity to build a more reliable transfer ecosystem that benefits both passengers and airline partners.
In an era where travel is as much about transitions as destinations, BLR Airport is betting that a seamless connection might just be the journey’s most important upgrade.
