Mumbai hoarding collapse: More than 100 people were buried when a big hoarding collapsed due to strong winds during the storm in Mumbai yesterday. So far 14 people have died in this incident, while 74 people have been injured. The NDRF team conducted the operation throughout the night to rescue the people trapped under the hoarding. According to officials, the hoarding was put up without the permission of the Municipal Corporation. But the important thing is that many such hoardings are seen across the country, so will the local system or government learn a lesson after such a big incident in Mumbai?
Name of collapsed hoarding recorded in Limca Book of Records
A large hoarding along with the girder fell on a petrol pumper near the Railway Police Ground at Chheda Nagar on the Eastern Express Highway, east of Ghatkopar, at around 4:30 pm yesterday evening. The biggest thing is that the name of this 17040 square feet hoarding is also registered in the Limca Book of Records. On the other hand, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said that there were four hoardings at the spot where the incident took place and it was approved by the ACP (Administration) for the Commissioner of Police (Mumbai Railways). The agency/Railway has not taken BMC's approval or NOC before installing the hoarding.
BMC's FIR against hoarding agency
BMC has registered an FIR after receiving a complaint against M/s Ego Media Agency, which had put up the hoardings. BMC said, we allow hoardings of maximum 40×40 square feet. The hoarding that fell was of 120×120 square feet. BMCA has issued a notice to M/s Ego Media Agency to remove all the hoardings.
Poison was poured into eight trees to ensure proper visibility of the hoardings.
After visiting the disaster control room at BMC headquarters, BMC Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani said, 'The fallen hoarding was illegal. Four hoardings were put up on the railway hoarding and one of them has fallen. We had raised objection on the issue of hoarding a year ago. To make the hoarding visible to passersby, poison was poured into eight trees near Chhedanagar Junction. (Chemicals were applied on the trunks of the trees to dry them.) BMC had also registered an FIR in this matter on 19 May-2023.
Five lakh compensation announced for the dead
After this accident, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis have come into action mode. He ordered a high level investigation. A compensation of Rs 5 lakh was announced for the deceased. It was announced that the entire treatment cost would be paid to the injured. The Municipal Corporation Commissioner and Police Commissioner have been instructed to conduct a structural audit of all the hoardings in the city.
Many buildings, hoardings, trees collapsed due to strong winds in Mumbai
Let us tell you that due to the storm in Mumbai yesterday, many other buildings, hoardings and trees fell. Trains, metro services were disrupted and flights were also suspended for an hour due to dust storm and rain in the city. According to some claims, visibility was extremely poor due to dust particles from the storm moving at speeds of over 100 km/h. Mumbai's Western and Central line local trains were halted briefly due to damage to overhead cables and later trains were delayed during evening pickup hours due to bunching. Ghatkopar-Versova metro train also had to be stopped due to electrical fault. Flights were halted for over an hour due to poor visibility at Mumbai airport and 15 flights were diverted elsewhere. Apart from the Eastern Express Highway, drivers were forced to stop due to lack of visibility on Atal Setu and the newly constructed coastal road.