One year after Ghatkopar collapse, no policy in place as illegal hoardings spread

One year after a massive hoarding collapse in Ghatkopar claimed 17 lives, the city’s skyline remains dotted with unregulated billboards, and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has yet to deliver on its promise of a reformed outdoor advertising policy.

The incident, which unfolded on 13 May 2024 during unseasonal winds, exposed major lapses in monitoring structural safety and regulatory enforcement. In the immediate aftermath, the civic body had pledged swift policy action. A committee was set up, consultations held, and by August 2024, a draft policy had been released. However, nearly nine months later, the policy remains unnotified and enforcement largely unchanged.

The proposed policy introduced key restrictions, including a ban on billboards mounted on rooftops, traffic islands, bridge gantries, and terraces. It also introduced technical safety checks and mandatory clearances from multiple departments. Still, the draft has seen little movement since it was opened for public comment.

In the absence of a finalised framework, unauthorised and unregulated hoardings have continued to mushroom across Mumbai. Many of these installations lack structural audits, posing a safety risk, particularly ahead of the upcoming monsoon season.

Separately, the BMC proposed guidelines to regulate digital advertisements, a fast-growing segment in Mumbai's adscape. These include a ban on flickering content, video screens, and moving visuals. Only static images with an 8-second dwell time would be permitted.

However, even these guidelines remain toothless without official notification or enforcement. In high-traffic zones such as the Western Express Highway and Bandra-Kurla Complex, large digital billboards with dynamic content continue to operate unchecked.

One of the biggest roadblocks to finalising the policy lies in the inter-agency tussle over revenue sharing. Government agencies such as the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), which own flyovers and highways, have reportedly opposed clauses that require them to share 50% of advertising revenue with the BMC. This impasse has stalled final approval.

Further complicating the process is the awaited integration of recommendations from the Bhosale Committee, a state-appointed panel led by retired Justice Dilip Bhosale, tasked with investigating the Ghatkopar collapse. The report has been submitted to the state government, but its contents remain under wraps, and the BMC is yet to incorporate its findings.

In the meantime, the BMC has allowed advertising on identified legal spaces, including over 1,000 banner points, 2,300 bus shelters, and 32,000 kiosks. But enforcement against violations is inconsistent, and civic officials have admitted that illegal hoardings far outnumber authorised ones.

What was promised as a moment of reckoning for outdoor media regulation in Mumbai has gradually faded from the public agenda. With the monsoon season approaching, the risks posed by unaudited, oversized, and wind-prone hoardings return to the spotlight, but the promised reform still awaits a signature.

 

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