BMC’s Tall Claim Amid Scores Of Illegal Billboards...
BMC’s Tall Claim Amid Scores Of Illegal Billboards...Even as two more bodies were recovered from the debris of the Ghatkopar billboard collapse on Wednesday, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) claims that there are 1,025 hoardings in the city. The number, which any Mumbaikar may find hard to believe after one look at the hoardings around him, points to the larger problem — scores of illegal billboards that data-face no action. The 120×120 sq ft hoarding that collapsed on a petrol pump at Chhedanagar along the Eastern Expressway in Ghatkopar after a duststorm and gusty winds lashed the city on Monday, too, was illegal.In the wake of the incident, the BMC shared details of the hoardings installed in its 24 wards. While four wards — D (Grant Road), H-West (Bandra) and K-East (Andheri East) and K-West (Andheri West) – top the list, all wards have at least more than 100 hoardings each.The civic body earns around Rs 200 crore in annual revenue through the licensing of these hoarding, according to Deputy Municipal Commissioner Sanjog Kabare, in one of his earlier interviews. According to sources, the BMC charges around Rs 1.75 lakh per month for a 40×40 square feet structure.The rules laid down by the civic body for the hoardings are:There should be a minimum distance of 70 metres between two hoardings.Hoardings have to adhere to 40×40 sqft norm.BMC should be given a structural audit every two years.The permission doesn’t come easy. The licence department, which looks into the ads put up on metal structures, seeks no-objection certificates from various departments. The building and factories department issues permits after consulting other departments such as fire brigade, engineering and estate, among others. The garden department, soil testing and tree authority ensure the flora is not damaged. The agreement is for a period of one year, with a fixed deposit and rental fee.