Mumbai’s billboard tragedy spurs stricter outdoor ad policy overhaul

On May 13, 2024, a massive 120x120 ft billboard in Mumbai’s Ghatkopar suburb collapsed during heavy rainfall, leaving over 75 people injured and 17 dead.

The billboard fell onto a petrol station, crushing vehicles and individuals seeking shelter from the rain. Investigations revealed the illegal construction of the billboard, surpassing the maximum permitted size of 40x40 ft.

The tragic collapse placed the spotlight on Ego Media, the advertising agency responsible for installing the ill-fated structure. Bhavesh Bhinde, the owner of the company, eluded authorities for three days before his arrest in Udaipur. The police booked him for culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) announced that it will immediately remove the remaining hoardings on Government Railway Police (GRP) land at Chheda Nagar, in eastern Mumbai. 

As with any major tragedy, this one also lead to major policy changes. In August, the BMC released the Draft Policy Guidelines for Display of Outdoor Advertisements, 2024. The new guidelines address outdoor advertisements, political displays, and digital hoardings, introducing stringent measures for both traditional OOH and Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) advertisements. 

The draft policy also specifies that advertisers will bear sole liability in the event of any accidents, stating they will be “solely liable against all actions, suits, claims, damages, or demands of any nature.”

It also introduces strict penalties for violations, including the blacklisting of advertisers. The severity of the offence will determine the duration of blacklisting, which could range from a specific period to permanent exclusion, preventing blacklisted advertisers from applying for new hoarding installations.

Additionally, the draft mandates insurance coverage for hoardings, with amounts ranging from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 1 crore, to cover potential damages or losses.

The policy proposes a 10% annual increase in the advertising license fee to keep pace with regulatory and operational needs.

A few important guidelines mentioned in the policy include:

1. The maximum size allowed for billboards remains 40x40 ft. 

2. The permits will now be renewed every three months instead of the previous six-month interval.

3. The earlier system of different sizes for different zones was found to be without any rationale, and therefore, the policy allows the advertiser to put any size of hoarding (as defined in the policy) anywhere in the jurisdiction of BMC.

4. New policies regarding DOOH have been introduced: all malls, multiplexes, shopping complexes, and commercial buildings must now apply for digital LED advertisements.

5. Moreover, the advertiser must also obtain a No Objection Certificate from the joint commissioner of police (Traffic) for illuminated or digital hoardings. Without this certificate, the advertisement permit will not be granted or renewed for illumination.

6. All digital, LED, LCD, and electronic hoardings must be switched off by 11 p.m.

7. Flickering advertisements are not permitted.

8. No hoarding shall be projected onto the footpath, right of way, roadway, or traffic island. Upon the expiration of the authorised period for existing permissions, these structures will be systematically phased out.

9. No hoarding shall be permitted above 100 feet in height from the surface of the ground.

10. All pending proposals for new hoarding will be processed as per the new policy guidelines only.

11. A policy regarding the blacklisting of the advertiser/permit holder for frequent violations on account of non-payment of fees has been introduced.