Guides / Government & Tenders
Public information LED boards for wards and rural municipalities
6 min read · Updated November 2026
A public information LED board lets a ward or rural municipality publish notices, service schedules, emergency alerts and public messages where people actually gather, and update them in minutes instead of reprinting banners. The right board is usually a modest outdoor screen — around 3×2 m at P5 to P6 — sealed to IP65 front and rear, bright enough for midday sun, scheduled to switch on and off automatically and protected against power cuts. What matters most is not the size but that someone at the ward office can update it easily and that it keeps running for years with minimal attention.
What can a ward use a public information board for?
A ward information board is best used for practical, frequently changing public information that people need to see at the ward office or a busy junction. Typical uses include office hours and service notices, tax and registration deadlines, vaccination and health camp dates supplied by the health authorities, community events, road closures and emergency messages after floods or earthquakes.
The advantage over printed notices is speed and visibility. A notice can be changed the same morning, several notices can rotate in turn, and the screen is legible from across a courtyard where a paper notice is not.
Keep the board neutral and public-service focused. Clear content rules — what goes on the board, who approves it and how long items stay up — avoid disputes and keep the screen useful to everyone in the ward.
What size and pixel pitch suit a ward board?
For most wards a screen of around 3×2 m at P5 or P6 is the practical sweet spot. That size holds several lines of readable Nepali text or a clear image, and P5 to P6 reads cleanly at the distances people stand outside a ward office or across a small square.
The governing rule is that pixel pitch in millimetres roughly equals the closest comfortable viewing distance in metres. If the board faces a wide road and will be read from vehicles, a coarser pitch such as P8 is acceptable; if people stand right in front of it, P4 to P5 gives sharper text.
Our own reference is the board at Tokha Municipality Ward No. 5 in Kathmandu: a P6 outdoor screen, 3×2 m, 5,500 nits, IP65 and front-service, which runs around 16 hours a day.
Why do brightness and sealing matter so much for a public board?
A public board is outdoors, often in full sun and fully exposed to the monsoon, so it needs outdoor brightness and IP65 sealing on both front and rear. Outdoor screens typically run at 5,000 to 8,000 nits so text stays legible at midday; anything less looks washed out exactly when most people visit the office.
Sealing is the difference between a board that lasts and one that fails after its first wet season. A front-only IP rating leaves the power supplies and cards at the back exposed to rain and humid air. Specify front-and-rear IP65 in the tender and ask for evidence.
Brightness should be controlled automatically: full in daylight and reduced after dark so the board is readable without glaring into nearby homes, and so it draws less power in the evening.
How should the board be scheduled and updated?
A ward board should switch on and off automatically and be updated through simple software that ward staff can use without technical help. Fixed operating hours — for example, from early morning to mid-evening — keep the board useful while saving power and extending its life.
A cloud content management system allows staff to upload a notice from an office computer or phone and schedule when it appears and expires. That removes the need for anyone to climb to the screen or plug in a laptop, and it means expired notices disappear on their own.
Ask for training as part of the contract, and for at least two staff to be trained. Boards often stop being updated simply because the one person who knew the password has moved on.
What about power cuts and surges in rural areas?
Every ward board should have surge protection and proper earthing, and in areas with frequent cuts it should have a UPS or be connected to a backup supply. Rural supply can be less stable than in the cities, and repeated spikes shorten the life of LED power supplies.
If the board is meant to carry emergency information, backup power is not optional — the moments when power is unreliable are often the moments when public messages matter most. Size the backup to the screen’s real draw at a reduced emergency brightness, not at full daytime brightness.
Lightning protection deserves attention on exposed hilltop and open-field sites. A tall steel structure in an open area should be earthed and protected as part of the design.
How should a ward procure and maintain the board?
Procure the board as a complete installed system — screen, structure, control, power protection, installation, training and warranty — rather than as panels alone. A supply-only purchase leaves the ward to solve structure, wiring and commissioning on its own.
Front-service cabinets make maintenance simpler on a board mounted against a wall or on a single post, because modules can be replaced from the front without rear access. Ask where spares are held and how quickly faults are answered: our LED displays carry a two-year manufacturer warranty honoured locally, with spares kept in Kathmandu.
Requirements for outdoor structures and public-land installations vary between municipalities and change over time, so confirm the site and any approvals internally before tendering. We survey sites free of charge before giving a firm specification.
The short version
- Ward boards work best for practical, frequently changing public information.
- Around 3×2 m at P5–P6 suits most ward offices and small public squares.
- Outdoor boards need 5,000–8,000 nits and IP65 sealing on both front and rear.
- Automatic on/off scheduling and a simple cloud CMS keep the board useful and easy to run.
- Surge protection, earthing and backup power matter, especially for emergency messages.
- Buy a complete installed system with training, warranty and local spares, not panels alone.
Common questions
What size LED board should a ward office in Nepal buy?
Around 3×2 m at P5 or P6 suits most ward offices, holding several lines of readable text or a clear image. A larger or coarser screen may suit a wide road read from vehicles. The best size depends on where people stand to read it, which a site survey confirms.
Can ward staff update the LED board without technical skills?
Yes, with a cloud content management system staff can upload and schedule notices from an office computer or phone. Training should be included in the contract. Train at least two people so updates continue when staff change.
Will a public LED notice board work during a power cut?
Only if it has backup power such as a UPS or a connection to a generator or other backup supply. For boards intended to show emergency information, backup should be planned from the start. Surge protection and earthing are needed in every case.
How long does a ward LED board run each day?
Most ward boards are scheduled to run from early morning to evening, switching on and off automatically. The Tokha Municipality Ward No. 5 board we installed runs around 16 hours a day. Scheduling saves power and extends the life of the LEDs.
Is a front-only IP65 rating enough for an outdoor ward board?
No. The rear of the cabinet holds power supplies and receiving cards, which must also be protected from monsoon rain and humid air. Specify IP65 on both front and rear in the tender and ask bidders for evidence.
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