The Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) has lodged a complaint against Guru Advertising, an out-of-home (OOH) advertising agency, following the collapse of an oversized wooden hoarding at Sahajanand Chowk in Kalyan earlier this morning. The incident resulted in minor injuries to two people and damage to several vehicles. KDMC claims the contractor failed to adhere to the standard operating procedures for maintaining the hoarding site.
Officers from the Mahatma Phule Police Station revealed that KDMC had contracted the advertising site for five years starting in 2021. Rishikesh Dhule, identified as the contractor, is among the accused. The police are investigating and have registered a case for causing damage and injury due to negligence.
Police Inspector Vijay Naik of Mahatma Phule police station stated, “We have registered a case under sections 125 (endangering life or personal safety of others), 125A (causing hurt), and 324 (2) (causing damage) of the BNS. The ward officer of KDMC filed the complaint against Guru Advertising. There are 3-4 owners of the agency, and we are investigating the matter.”
Former Member of Parliament Dr. Kirit Somaiya visited the collapse site on Friday afternoon and met with the KDMC commissioner, demanding an audit of all hoardings and the removal of large hoardings violating norms within a week. He urged strict action by police officials to prevent incidents similar to the one in Ghatkopar.
In May, an illegal hoarding collapse in Ghatkopar killed 14 and injured over 75, drawing national attention. The billboard, approximately 120×120 feet, was nearly three times the permitted size of 40×40 feet.
Since then, several cities, including Delhi, Chennai, Pune, Kolhapur, and Navi Mumbai, have taken stringent measures regarding the placement, size, legality, and structure of hoardings, often including penalties. Marketers are now more cautious in verifying the credentials of OOH vendors they collaborate with.
Source: Social Samosa
