Mumbai: ‘Contractors must obtain insurance coverage based on size of hoarding’

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation BMC has prepared a draft hoarding policy which is mandatory for all government bodies The civic body and government body concerned is to split revenue from hoardings 5050 according to the draftThe policy mentions places where setting up billboards is prohibited such as roads and makes it compulsory for contractors to obtain insurance coverage The civic body began preparing a fresh policy for hoardings after 17 lives were lost and around people were 70 injured in Ghatkopar East following a hoarding collapse on May 13 It has decided to seek suggestions and objections from citizensAccording to the draft BMC has decided to make insurance coverage ranging from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 1 crore compulsory based on the size of the hoarding Also the maximum dimensions of billboards allowed are 40 feet by 40 feet while the hoarding will be removed three months after the expiry of the permit Previously the window was six months An NOC of the land owner is also required for setting up hoardings the policy mentionsAccording to the policy hoarding will be strictly prohibited on terraces while pasting commercial advertisements on compound walls dead walls medians footpaths traffic islands and the gantry of bridges will be banned Also no hoarding will be permitted near hightension wiresSubmission of structural stability reports issued by the BMC is mandatory Also if advertising is put up on a building with a glass faccedilade it is mandatory to get approval from the civic building proposal department as well as a noobjection certificate from the Mumbai Fire Brigade Senior licence inspectors are expected to visit the sites of hoardings that are larger than 200 square feetThe BMC had appointed a special committee comprising civic officials and experts from IIT Bombay among other organisations to draft the policyIllegal bannersldquoNo agency without permission in writing from the BMC shall erect exhibit fix or retain any advertisement by means of banners boards or flagsrdquo the policy mentions Banners or hoardings set up without permission are punishable under Section 471 of the BMC Act 1888 as well as the Maharashtra Prevention of Defacement of Property Act 1995 Punishment includes imprisonment for a term which may extend to three months or a fine which may extend to Rs 2000 or bothldquoNo permission shall be granted on the premises of the corporation and government building public places or roads However exemptions can be considered for certain events by the municipal commissioner for example events organised by the government events organised by the corporation or any other event as deemed fit by the commissionerrdquo the policy reads Also in case of any accident the advertiser shall be solely liable for all criminal actions claims or damages of any natureldquoAll political parties can display a nonilluminated banner or board on their party offices located in private premises and no permission is required for the display of such advertisement Board displaying information regarding the name of the project duration of the project name of contractor name of Member of Parliament Member of Legislative AssemblyCouncillors and constituency can be displayed However no photographspictures of Member of ParliamentMember of Legislative Assembly Councillors shall be displayed sicrdquo it mentionsHC refuses relief to ad firm directorThe Bombay High Court on Friday dismissed a plea filed by advertising firm director Bhavesh Bhinde arrested in the Ghatkopar hoarding collapse case in which he had claimed the incident was an ldquoact of Godrdquo and his arrest was illegalA division bench of Justices Bharati Dangre and Manjusha Deshpande said it has not found any legal infirmity and no impairment in the procedure mandated while arresting a personldquoWe find no legal infirmity The ground of illegal arrest and detention by the petitioner is nothing but a faux There is no impairment in the procedure The petition is dismissedrdquo the court saidThe bench said the procedural safeguards which are indefeasible and receive recognition through the constitution which have considered liberty of the citizen to be of paramount importance is not impaired in any mannerBhinde had sought to quash the First Information Report FIR against him claiming that the incident which occurred on May 13 was an ldquoact of Godrdquo and that he should not be held responsibleHe is charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder and is currently in judicial custody He had sought release on interim bail pending the hearing of his plea