In a renewed bid to preserve the scenic charm of Himachal Pradesh, the state government has decided to strictly implement the Himachal Pradesh Open Places (Prevention of Disfigurement) Act, 1985 across all newly formed Urban Local Bodies (ULBs).
The enforcement of this act now makes defacing public property a punishable offense, with provisions for both imprisonment and monetary penalties.
Originally enacted in 1985, the Act was designed to curb unauthorized advertisements and disfigurement of public spaces by prohibiting the display of posters, notices, pictures, and signs on walls, trees, buildings, and other public properties without official approval.
Initially applicable only to the Municipal Corporation of Shimla, the Act was later extended through a 1991 notification to various other Municipal Committees, Notified Area Committees, and Municipal Corporations. However, several ULBs that were created after 1991 remained outside the purview of the law.
To ensure uniform regulation across all urban regions, the state government, in April 2025, officially extended the Act to include the newly constituted ULBs.
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These now include the Municipal Corporations of Dharamshala, Palampur, Mandi, Solan, Baddi, Hamirpur, and Una; Municipal Councils of Bilaspur, Ghumarwin, Sujanpur Tihra, Dehra, Jawalamukhi, Nagrota Bagwan, Manali, Jogindernagar, Nerchowk, Sarkaghat, Rohroo, Parwanoo, Mehatpur, Santokhgarh, Sunni, Nadaun, Baijnath, and Paprola; and Nagar Panchayats of Jawali, Shahpur, Nirmand, Karsog, Chirgaon, Nerwa, Kandaghat, Amb, Tahliwal, Barsar, Sandhole, Dharampur, Baldwara, Bhoranj, Khundian, Nagrota Surian, Kotla, Jhandutta, Swarghat, Banikhet, Kunihar, Bangana, and Shillai.
By expanding the jurisdiction of the Act, the state aims to enhance the visual appeal and cleanliness of its urban landscapes, while curbing the proliferation of unauthorised advertisements that detract from the region’s natural beauty.
The move underscores the government's commitment to maintaining an organized and aesthetically pleasing environment, and violators can now face legal consequences, including jail time, for defacing public property without official permission.
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