BMC makes 3rd party insurance mandatory for hoardings

Bhubaneswar: The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Thursday made third-party insurance mandatory for every hoarding installed within its command areas. The strict measures come in the wake of the death of two persons who were killed on Tuesday when a hoarding collapsed on them amid gusty winds in Aiginia near Aiginia Durga Mandap.

A woman was also injured in the incident.Investigations revealed that the hoarding was installed illegally by a private agency without mandatory approvals or structural safety certification. BMC subsequently lodged a police complaint against the agency. Thereafter, Sambit Mohanty, an employee of the agency, was arrested. Mohanty was responsible for putting up the structure at the unauthorised place.The decision on third-party insurance was taken at a monthly review meeting held on Thursday, chaired by BMC commissioner Chanchal Rana, which was attended by senior civic body officials and representatives of all empanelled advertising agencies.

The civic body has instructed agencies to submit structural stability certificates for each hoarding and provide detailed documentation on maintenance, inspection practices and safety measures.Agencies were also asked to review all existing hoardings, report their condition and clearly display the firm’s name on any damaged structures. BMC ordered that torn or loose flex material must be removed immediately.

It also asked the agencies that hoardings located in vulnerable spots might have to be taken down altogether. “Public safety cannot be compromised. Agencies will be held accountable for negligent installations,” Rana said.On Wednesday, residents of Dumduma blocked a portion of National Highway-16, demanding justice and immediate action against those responsible for the incident. The protest caused heavy traffic congestion on the busy Kolkata–Chennai corridor.Protesters alleged negligence by the civic authorities and demanded compensation and arrests. Police intervention eventually cleared the blockade. Chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi later announced ex-gratia for the victims’ families.