Thane Hoarding Collapse: TMC Cancels Agency's Licence, Police Book Advertising Firm and Engineer After Structure Crashes
Authorities have stepped up action after a legally installed advertising hoarding collapsed in Thane, with police filing a criminal case against the advertising agency and the structural engineer who certified the installation. The Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) has also withdrawn the agency's permission to operate the hoarding.
The incident occurred on July 6 in the Subhash Nagar area of Vartak Nagar when the cantilever-style billboard, erected on a road divider, suddenly came crashing down. While no injuries were reported, the collapse raised serious concerns because the structure had recently been declared safe following a structural inspection.
Following a preliminary probe, police registered an FIR under Section 125 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), alleging that negligence had put public safety at risk. The civic body simultaneously cancelled the advertiser's licence and initiated further action.
According to TMC officials, the hoarding had been installed under the city's junction beautification programme, where private agencies receive advertising rights in return for developing and maintaining traffic intersections. The agency had also submitted a structural stability certificate issued after an audit conducted in June.
After the collapse, the municipal corporation launched a citywide inspection of authorised hoardings. During the drive, two additional advertising structures were found to be unsafe and were immediately dismantled to prevent any untoward incident.
The civic body has now directed all licensed advertisers to carry out fresh structural audits, remove advertising flex sheets where required during the monsoon season, and ensure that electrical wiring and illuminated signboards comply with prescribed safety standards.
The crackdown comes amid heightened concern over outdoor advertising structures following another banner collapse near Mulund Check Naka earlier this month. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has also instructed civic authorities to remove illegal hoardings and conduct comprehensive safety inspections of large billboards across Thane to avoid accidents during the monsoon.
