Hoardings atop old buildings in Mumbai: Owners move HC

A body of hoarding owners has moved the Bombay high court to challenge a new notification of the civic body amending hoarding regulations.

A body of hoarding owners has moved the Bombay high court (HC) to challenge a new notification of the civic body amending hoarding regulations.

HT Image

In May this year, the corporation amended the existing policy and stated hoardings would not be allowed on buildings older than 30 years, in view of safety concerns.

The petition, filed in October, had opposed this regulation and sought a direction to declare the circular illegal and unconstitutional. They demanded the authorities be prevented from implementing it.

The Mumbai Hoarding Owners’ Association has further claimed that through right to information (RTI) responses, they have found no buildings have collapsed because of hoardings installed on them since 1983.

“It is their [corporations, commissioner] constitutional duty to protect public interest,” said the petition.

“The implementation of the circular dated May 9, 2014, serves no public interest, particularly because there is no direct and causal connection between the age of the building and stability of hoardings and/or buildings.”

When the matter came up on Monday, the advocate for the hoarding association raised the issue of some owners having to renew their licences and whether the renewed guidelines would apply after the new licenses were issued.

The hoarding owners association also contended that their livelihood and survival will be affected if the new circular is implemented.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) counsel has been given a Wednesday deadline to respond.