Bhopal Hoarding Collapses at Mere 20 km/h, Sparks City-Wide Safety Alarm
A roadside advertising hoarding in Bhopal's Shahpura area collapsed dramatically on Saturday after being struck by a car travelling at an alleged speed of just 20 kilometers per hour. This shocking incident has ignited serious concerns about the safety of outdoor advertising structures throughout the city.
Vehicle Dragged 100 Feet as Large Installation Falls
The large pipe-frame hoarding fell directly onto the vehicle upon impact. It then dragged the car for nearly 100 feet along the roadside. This occurred despite common claims that such structures are designed to withstand wind speeds of up to 100 km/hour. The visual of a car being dragged by a fallen sign has deeply unsettled local residents and commuters.
Hundreds of Similar Structures Line Bhopal's Roads
The collapse has sharply highlighted the potentially fragile state of hundreds of similar advertising installations across Bhopal. According to data from the Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC), the city currently hosts more than 800 large hoardings. It also has 400 unipoles and over 100 gantry boards erected at intersections, roadsides, and building rooftops.
Safety Regulations and Questionable Compliance
Existing regulations clearly stipulate that all advertising panels must feature sound aesthetic design. They also require certification from a licensed structural engineer. However, the reliability of these mandatory safety checks is now under intense scrutiny. When contacted on Sunday, a BMC official confirmed that a report from the relevant zone officer has been requested regarding the Shahpura incident.
Past Precedent and Current Testing Gaps
Following a fatal hoarding accident in Mumbai during 2024, the BMC had previously ordered strength testing for all such structures in Bhopal. Zone officers were made specifically responsible for this task. Despite this directive, officials privately admit a staggering fact. They say nearly 80 percent of the city's hoardings, unipoles, and gantries have never undergone testing by MANIT or any equivalent engineering institution.
Furthermore, the municipal corporation itself remains unaware of the existence of more than 500 hoardings currently standing within city limits. This massive gap in oversight and knowledge presents a clear and ongoing public safety risk. The Saturday collapse serves as a urgent wake-up call for comprehensive audits and immediate corrective action.
