Mumbai, March 24 (IANS) A high-level committee that probed the 2024 Ghatkopar hoarding collapse has recommended the registration of FIRs against police and civic officials, besides advertisers and engineers, citing a “criminal conspiracy” and regulatory failures that led to 17 deaths.
The panel report, tabled in the Maharashtra Assembly on Tuesday, identified the alleged involvement of certain police and municipal officials in facilitating illegal hoardings and said that those who fail to act against violations must face legal and departmental proceedings.
The committee, headed by former Allahabad High Court chief justice Dilip B Bhosale, stated that the sequence of events showed collusion between private parties and officials to circumvent the rules of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
It called for registering FIRs, prosecuting offenders, and recovering costs from them. It emphasised that police are duty-bound to register FIRs under the Defacement Act upon detection of illegal hoardings.
At least 17 people died, and 74 were injured after a huge iron hoarding collapsed on a petrol pump in Ghatkopar amid a dust storm on May 13, 2024.
Following the incident, the state government set up a committee to investigate the roles of the entities responsible for the hoarding and the petrol pump.
The panel stated that offenders, including advertising agencies, must face criminal prosecution, heavy fines, and immediate removal of unlawful structures, with costs recovered from them.
It also held structural engineers accountable, stating that those issuing “false or defective” stability certificates should be suspended and blacklisted for 3 to 5 years.
The committee further proposed holding beneficiaries of illegal hoardings – including political leaders featured on such displays – primarily liable, with provisions for fines and prosecution under relevant laws.
The report pointed to systemic lapses, stating that the collapse was “essentially the result of failure to properly enforce existing regulations”.
It also noted that the hoarding exceeded the permissible size by more than three times despite clear BMC norms.
Citing past directions of the Bombay High Court in separate cases, the panel sought strict compliance with judicial mandates on outdoor advertising regulation and enforcement.
To plug regulatory gaps, it recommended the creation of a nodal agency to ensure uniform rules and coordinated action across authorities such as the BMC, Railways, and police, preventing offenders from exploiting jurisdictional overlaps.
The report also called for periodic structural audits of hoardings, especially in high-traffic and coastal areas, alongside stricter norms on size, height, spacing, and prohibition in sensitive zones to enhance public safety.
The committee called for the swift removal of illegal or unsafe hoardings and consistent enforcement to prevent recurrence of such incidents.
–IANS
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