VVMC cracks down on hoarding safety after Ghatkopar incident

Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation issues notice to hoarding contractors for structural audits after fatal billboard collapse in Ghatkopar, Mumbai.

Mumbai: Five days after 17 people died and 77 were injured when a billboard collapsed in Ghatkopar, the Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation (VVMC) issued a notice to hoarding contractors under their jurisdiction to submit the report on structural audits within a week.

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The VVMC had granted permission for the installation of 791 hoardings, but it suspects that many additional hoardings may have been installed illegally. In light of the consequences of the Ghatkopar incident, the VVMC has issued a notice to agencies and contractors, directing them to submit the structural audit report within eight days.

In a survey conducted by VVMC officials to determine the eligibility of locations for hoarding installation, it was found that several places where hoardings were erected were not suitable, such as crowded areas and in front of schools, among others, according to sources. “Never before has the Vasai Virar City Municipal Corporation appeared so serious about hoarding,” said social worker Uday Singh.

Vasai Virar City Municipal Corporation’s deputy commissioner, Vishakha Motghare, stated that permission has been granted for 791 hoardings within the Municipal Corporation’s area. Structural audits for all hoardings will be conducted, with notices issued to agencies and contractors to submit the audits within eight days.

Following a string of fatal accidents in 2023 and numerous complaints regarding oversized banners and hoardings obstructing drivers’ views, the Vasai-Virar City Municipal Corporation (VVCMC) conducted a survey to address the issue. Out of the approximately 30,000 hoardings in the region, only 335 were found to have been legally erected. Traffic police stressed that these hoardings, primarily advertisements and promotions, have contributed to accidents by blocking signals and distracting drivers. They recently petitioned the VVCMC to remove such hoardings, which impede the visibility of signals and oncoming vehicles, thereby endangering lives. Drivers’ complaints underscored the obstructive nature of the hoardings The investigation revealed that many banners were installed without obtaining the necessary No Objection Certificates (NOC) from the VVMC.

To legally erect a banner, individuals must adhere to specific procedures, including seeking permission from the VVCMC and obtaining an NOC from the traffic department. Civic body employees noted that when the municipal corporation was established in 2009, there was no department for granting hoarding permissions. However, within the past two years, a department responsible for overseeing hoardings in the region was established, resulting in permissions granted to 335 individuals for hoarding erection. In 2023, the VVCMC initiated a campaign to dismantle illegal hoardings, which was halted during the rainy season.