2016 government circular prohibiting hoardings on highways ignored by BMC

The 2016 circular adds that despite the ministry’s policy of not allowing hoardings on national highways, they have been noticed along these roads

MUMBAI: While the BMC has been aggressively pursuing the removal of large hoardings on railway land after the Ghatkopar hoarding crash of May 13, it has ignored an important government notification of 2016. This notification prohibits hoardings on national highways and expressways.

Mumbai, India - June 30, 2024: Holding near Western Express Highway at Bandra in Mumbai, India, on Sunday, June 30, 2024. (Photo by Satish Bate/ Hindustan Times) (Hindustan Times)

A government circular of 2016 in the possession of HT states, ‘Please refer to the Ministry’s circular dated May 16, 2002, wherein it has been mentioned that no advertisement hoardings are permitted on National Highways within the Right of Way except informatory signs of public interest such as hospitals, bus stations or advertisement of temporary nature announcing local events such as mela, flower show. Besides, a “Policy on Roadside Advertisements” published in 1992 should also be referred for comprehensive guidelines on advertisement control on National Highways.’ (sic).

The 2016 circular adds that despite the ministry’s policy of not allowing hoardings on national highways, they have been noticed along these. ‘(They) cause distraction and are also one of the causes of accidents on National Highways,’ adds the 2016 circular. The notification was marked to all engineers-in-chief and chief engineers of public works departments of states and union territories dealing with national highways and other centrally sponsored schemes.

The BMC has lately taken the responsibility of maintaining the Western Express Highway (WEH) and Eastern Express Highway (EEH) and has the jurisdiction to remove the large billboards along them. A civic source said that with the monsoon getting stronger, the civic body needed to take action to prevent another tragedy like the Ghatkopar hoarding collapse, which resulted in 17 deaths and 74 injuries.

“The BMC cannot overlook government guidelines,” said the civic source. “WEH and EEH were at such a great height that hoardings should not be present at all. There are huge billboards on all highways in Mumbai and they are endangering public safety. During rains or unpredictable winds, what if a hoarding falls on a highway? If there is a repeat of the Ghatkopar hoarding collapse, who will be held responsible?”

When asked how permissions were granted to such hoardings on such a large scale despite the ministry’s policy, the civic source said, “There is a huge syndicate where revenue from such hoardings is generated. A lot of politicians are indirect owners of such hoardings, and they pressure the governing agencies to put up their hoardings.”

When a senior civic official was contacted on the issue, he said, “We are going to incorporate the issue of hoardings on highways and roads in the new draft policy on hoardings.”

The subject of hoardings was debated in the legislative council in the wake of the Ghatkopar hoarding collapse. Industries minister Uday Samant on Saturday said that the railways, which come under the central government, would have to adhere to civic body laws on hoardings.