In a case of too little too late, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation demolished three 'illegal' hoardings in Chheda Nagar, Ghatkopar on 14 May. At the time of publishing this story, one hoarding of the same size is still erected at the site, which witnessed the death of 15 people and many others seriously injured, due to an advertising hoarding collapsing during the dust and rain storm in Mumbai on 13 May.

The advertising hoardings belonged to Ego Media, the parent company of Minimax Ads and Pacific Ads, the brands that appeared on the billboard which caused the damage. 

An audit of all hoardings in Mumbai has been called for by the chief minister Eknath Shinde, who also stated that a case of culpable homicide was registered in connection with the hoarding collapse incident in Mumbai's Ghatkopar. 

Speaking with Manifest, outdoor specialist Haresh Nayak, CEO and founder, Connect Network, stated, "First and foremost, safety should always be a priority. Advertising hoardings should be properly placed to prevent potential hazards to pedestrians, motorists and adjacent buildings, especially during adverse weather conditions such as heavy rain and strong winds."

He also emphasised the importance of following statutory law. 

"Businesses must comply with local laws, licensing requirements, and design integrity standards to ensure hoardings are placed responsibly. Failure to do so not only puts public safety at risk but also undermines the credibility of the advertising industry as a whole. This statement should serve as a wake-up call for stakeholders to reconsider their practices and prioritise safety and compliance. It is important that industry players work together with local authorities to provide clear guidelines and compliance measures to prevent such accidents in the future. Finally, public safety should never be compromised in order to see advertising. By fostering a culture of responsibility and accountability, we can work to ensure that outdoor advertising enhances urban environments without endangering them," he added.

We reached out to other outdoor specialists too, to ask them whether this incident puts the scanner on outdoor advertising ahead of the monsoon season in Mumbai to figure out whether agencies are blatantly flouting laws and regulations. While they called the incident 'unfortunate', none of them wanted to go on record to give an answer.

According to news reports, The BMC also appointed an expert from Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute to find the reasons behind the hoarding collapse in Ghatkopar that claimed 14 lives.

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