A committee investigating the 2024 Ghatkopar hoarding collapse has suggested filing FIRs against police, civic officials, advertisers, and engineers due to alleged criminal conspiracy and regulatory failures that resulted in 17 fatalities. The panel report, presented in the Maharashtra Assembly, highlighted the involvement of certain officials in promoting illegal hoardings and emphasized the need for legal action against violators.
The committee, led by former Allahabad High Court chief justice Dilip B Bhosale, revealed collusion between private entities and officials to bypass Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) regulations. It called for FIR registration, prosecution of offenders, and cost recovery, stressing that police must file FIRs under the Defacement Act upon spotting illegal hoardings.
Following the tragic incident that claimed 17 lives and injured 74, a state-appointed committee was formed to probe the responsibilities of the entities linked to the hoarding and petrol pump. The panel recommended criminal prosecution, hefty fines, and immediate removal of unlawful structures for advertising agencies found guilty, with costs to be retrieved from them.
Additionally, the committee held structural engineers accountable, proposing suspension and blacklisting for those issuing inaccurate stability certificates. It suggested making beneficiaries of illegal hoardings, including political figures featured on them, primarily liable, with provisions for fines and legal action under relevant laws. The report attributed the collapse to regulatory failures and non-compliance with BMC norms, emphasizing the need for strict enforcement and structural audits of hoardings.
