State orders structural audit of hoardings across MMR in next 30 days

The Maharashtra government on Monday announced a structural audit of all hoardings installed in the entire Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). The move comes against the backdrop of the Ghatkopar hoarding collapse on May 13 that killed 17 people and injured 81

MUMBAI: The Maharashtra government on Monday announced a structural audit of all hoardings installed in the entire Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). The move comes against the backdrop of the Ghatkopar hoarding collapse on May 13 that killed 17 people and injured 81.

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While making the announcement, state industries minister Uday Samant also assured the assembly of action against those who were found to have violated rules while erecting the hoardings. After charges by BJP MLAs Ram Kadam and Nitesh Rane that Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray was involved in the case, Samant said the Dilip Bhosale committee set up to look into the hoardings issue would be asked to probe the allegations.

The police have arrested Bhavesh Bhinde, owner of Ego Media Private Limited, the company that installed the oversized hoarding at Ghatkopar. On June 10, the state government appointed a high-level committee headed by former chief justice of the Allahabad high court Dilip Bhosale to conduct an inquiry into the crash.

There are 1,025 hoardings installed in Mumbai alone, of which 305 are erected on land owned by the railways. Samant told the state assembly that the railways did not take permission from the BMC for installing hoardings and also did not follow BMC rules for erected hoardings. This was challenged in the Bombay high court which passed an order in their favour.

On May 15, the BMC asked the railways to conduct a structural audit of all 305 hoardings. In its order issued on June 14, the Supreme Court also directed the railways to ensure that no accident took place during the monsoon owing to the hoardings installed on their land.

The hoarding crash issue was raised by opposition members in the state assembly for discussion. Replying to the debate, Samant said, “A structural audit will be conducted of all hoardings in MMR in the next 30 days. If any irregularities are found, action will be taken against the concerned people.”

By displaying a photograph of Bhinde with Uddhav Thackeray, Ram Kadam, BJP MLA from Ghatkopar West, alleged that Bhinde had connections with Thackeray and demanded an inquiry. He was supported by another BJP MLA Nitesh Rane. In response, Samant said, “The DiIip Bhosale committee will be asked to look into the allegations.”