The measure came after the BMC announced action against all the illegal billboards in the city after the Ghatkopar hoarding collapse struck the city on May 13 wherein a billboard collapsed and killed several. 

According to the reports, the death toll from the Ghatkopar hoarding collapse has risen to 17. The latest victim, Raju Sonawane (52), succumbed to his injuries on May 19 at KEM Hospital. 

The hoarding collapse occurred in Chheda Nagar, Ghatkopar, during gusty winds and unseasonal rains. The massive 120x120 feet hoarding fell onto a petrol pump, causing extensive casualties and damage.

Following the incident, authorities quickly transferred the injured, especially those requiring neurosurgery, to KEM Hospital. While some were admitted to Rajawadi Hospital nearby and other facilities. 

Among the 16 initially declared dead were a retired Air Traffic Control (ATC) general manager and his wife, underscoring the indiscriminate nature of such tragedies. The incident also left 75 people injured, highlighting the scale of the disaster.

Bhavesh Bhinde, the director of the advertising firm responsible for installing the collapsed hoarding, was arrested in Udaipur, Rajasthan. He has been remanded in police custody until May 26.

The Ghatkopar hoarding collapse, that had caused public outrage, will now be investigated by a six-member Special Investigation Team formed by the Mumbai Crime Branch.