Bhosale Committee blames systemic failures, not fate, for Ghatkopar hoarding collapse

New Delhi: In a report following the tragic collapse of a massive illegal hoarding in Mumbai's Ghatkopar area that claimed 17 lives, the Justice Dilip Bhosale Committee has recommended sweeping reforms to the outdoor advertising industry, including harsher penalties for advertisers, media owners, and complicit officials.

The committee, headed by retired Justice Dilip Bhosale, was formed on June 10, 2024, in the wake of the May 13, 2024, disaster where a 120-foot by 110-foot hoarding, standing an astonishing 180 feet tall, toppled onto a petrol pump amid strong winds, injuring over 80 people. The inquiry concluded that the incident was not a natural calamity but a "man-made tragedy" rooted in negligence, corruption, and blatant violations of safety norms.

According to the report, the hoarding was erected without a proper foundation, structural stability certificates, or any sanctioned design. It was built on land falsely claimed as railway property to evade municipal oversight from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), though the site was actually under the Maharashtra government's Police Welfare Corporation. This loophole allowed contractors to ignore BMC regulations on hoarding sizes and safety.

The panel's recommendations aim to overhaul Mumbai's outdoor advertising regulations to prioritize public safety over commercial gains. Key proposals include:

- Immediate removal and audits: All dangerous and unauthorised hoardings must be dismantled promptly, with licensed structures undergoing regular structural audits.

- Size and placement restrictions: No hoarding should exceed 40 feet by 40 feet. Rooftop and dead-wall hoardings should be banned outright, and private hoardings on visible properties must face the same scrutiny as those on public land. Structures obstructing pedestrian paths, especially on footpaths, are to be removed.

- Digital billboard controls: Digital displays near highways, junctions, or high-traffic pedestrian areas should be restricted. Flashing lights, moving graphics, or video screens that could distract drivers are prohibited. Where allowed, content must stay static for several seconds, with additional curbs during nighttime hours.

- Mandatory compliance and transparency: Every hoarding must display clear permit details. Annual stability checks are required, aligning with standards from the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act, and the National Building Code. No structure should block road signs, traffic signals, or driver sightlines.

- Joint oversight and public campaigns: Approvals should be vetted collaboratively by the BMC, Police, Railways, and Traffic authorities, with a nodal body empowered to act swiftly against violations. The panel also urges public awareness initiatives to highlight the risks of unsafe advertising.

At the heart of the reforms are calls for "stricter penalties" to hold accountable not just contractors but also advertisers and media owners who benefit from these structures, as well as officials who enable violations through corruption or inaction. 

While specific fine amounts or jail terms were not detailed in the report, it singles out key figures for blame, including former Railway Police Commissioner Quaiser Khalid, deemed "primarily responsible" for issuing illegal permissions without tenders or approvals from the Director General of Police. Former Commissioner Ravindra Shisve is criticised for failing to intervene, and retired BMC inspector Sunil Dalvi is implicated in financial dealings with contractors, pointing to potential collusion.

"The Ghatkopar hoarding which collapsed was erected without a proper foundation, without structural stability certificates, and without any sanctioned design," the report stated. It further asserted, "The final conclusion of the Bhosale Committee is clear: the Ghatkopar accident was not an act of fate but the outcome of systemic failures, regulatory loopholes, and deliberate misconduct by officials and private entities."

The Maharashtra state cabinet has already accepted the report and instructed all municipal corporations and local bodies to conduct immediate surveys of hoarding sites and remove illegal ones. This move signals a potential transformation in how outdoor advertising is managed in one of India's most densely populated cities, where visual clutter has long posed risks to commuters and residents.