Maharashtra government to tell BMC to conduct audit of all hoardings in Mumbai

In May last year, a giant hoarding collapsed and killed 16 people and injured 75 others in Ghatkopar. Pic/Atul Kamble

An audit of all outdoor advertisement hoardings within Mumbai municipal corporation limits is on the cards and reports will be tabled within a timeframe of three months. On Friday, the Maharashtra government stated that it would ask the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to conduct an audit of all outdoor advertisement hoardings installed across Mumbai and table the findings in the next session (monsoon session that usually commences from July).

The ruling party MLAs, during a question hour session in the state legislative assembly, cited several flaws regarding hoardings in the city, especially installation without proper approvals. BJP MLA Ameet Satam cited a hoarding at Mulund toll naka which has been fined 68 times for violation of rules. "The hoarding has MSRDC permission, but has not taken the mandatory BMC approvals for installation," Satam said.

"The contractor is repeatedly violating rules. It is being done intentionally. An FIR should be registered against the contractor," Satam said. Industries Minister Uday Samant admitted to the contractor being fined 68 times. "A daily fine levied by BMC is R1000, whereas the per day rent of the hoarding is R35,000. The MSRDC has issued a tender with the condition that the contractor will have to take all necessary permissions including one from the BMC, before installation of the hoarding," Samant added.

BJP MLA Ameet Satam

Besides Satam, BJP MLAs Yogesh Sagar and Parag Alavani claimed that there are different agencies like airport authority, MSRDC and BMC that give permissions. "There needs to be only one agency that should be issuing permission. In Mulund's case, too, the MSRDC should have given only a no-objection certificate (NOC) and not permission, as it is the BMC's right to give or reject permission," Sagar said.

In May 2024, a hoarding allegedly installed without proper approvals and beyond the permissible height limits collapsed, leading to death of 17 people and causing injury to several citizens. No wonder, Alavani has suggested amending the Mumbai Municipal Corporation (MMC) Act, and including a provision for criminal punishment, which currently does not exist in the law. "Provision of criminal proceedings will act as a deterrent," Alavani added.

In fact, during the discussion, Satam urged the government to conduct an audit of all hoardings across the city. "Will the government order an audit of all hoardings and specify the time frame for the same?" Satam asked. Concluding the discussion, the minister assured the legislative members of lodging an FIR against the Mulund contractor. "A detailed audit of all hoardings in Mumbai city will be done. The audit report will be tabled in the next session of the state legislature," Samant added.