After the tragic Ghatkopar hoarding collapse claimed 16 lives, several hoarding companies facing notices for unauthorized installations in Navi Mumbai assured the Bombay High Court of their intent to dismantle these structures within the next four weeks.
During a hearing presided over by Justices NR Borkar and Somasekhar Sundaresan, petitions contesting notices from the City And Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra Limited (CIDCO) for the removal of hoardings in the Navi Mumbai Airport Influence Notified Area (NAINA) were reviewed.
Scrutinizing the Sanctioned Development Control and Promotion Regulations for NAINA’s Interim Development Plan, the court observed prolonged existence of hoardings without due regard to regulatory compliance.
While acknowledging the inability to legally protect these hoardings, the bench emphasized the importance of equitable considerations. It suggested the option for petitioners to voluntarily remove non-compliant hoardings within the specified timeframe to avoid public expenditure or damage to private property during forced demolition.
Upon consultation, petitioners agreed to dismantle the hoardings within four weeks and apply to CIDCO for compliant installations.
The bench stressed the necessity for prompt affidavit submission to CIDCO post-dismantlement, relying on the petitioners’ commitment to self-action to dissuade CIDCO’s involvement in demolition.
Additionally, petitioners raised concerns regarding outdated size regulations for hoardings, which the bench permitted them to address with CIDCO, advocating for policy revisions aligning with contemporary standards.
CIDCO is tasked with expeditiously evaluating these representations, considering all pertinent factors for informed policy decisions regarding hoarding size limitations.
