On Monday evening, the weather suddenly changed in Mumbai and after dense clouds covered the sky, dust storm and rain started. Due to this storm, a huge hoarding fell on the railway petrol pump of Samta Colony of Ghatkopar, under which a large number of people got buried. There was screams on the spot. Immediately the police and Mumbai Fire Brigade team reached the spot and conducted the rescue operation with the help of local people.
14 people died, while more than 74 were injured when a huge hoarding collapsed after a dust storm in Mumbai’s Ghatkopar area on Monday. The name of this hoarding, which is more than 15 thousand square feet, is also recorded in the Limca Book of Records, although now officials say that it was done without the permission of the municipal body.
In fact, on Monday evening the weather suddenly changed in Mumbai and after the sky was covered with dense clouds, dust storm and rain started. Due to this storm, a huge hoarding fell on the railway petrol pump of Samta Colony of Ghatkopar, under which a large number of people got buried. There was screams on the spot.
Immediately the police and Mumbai Fire Brigade team reached the spot and conducted the rescue operation with the help of local people. The video of this entire incident has also surfaced.
When this accident happened, more than 100 people were present near the petrol pump. There was an outcry after the hoarding fell. With the help of local police, fire brigade and NDRF, relief and rescue work was started, which continued throughout the night. By 3 am, a total of 86 people trapped inside the hoarding were rescued and taken to different hospitals for treatment.
During this period 14 people have died. At the same time, 74 injured people are undergoing treatment, in which the condition of many people remains critical. Apart from this, 31 people have been discharged after treatment.
Hoarding put up without permission: BMC
After this incident, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) issued a statement saying that the billboard was made without their permission. According to BMC, there were four hoardings at that place and all of them were approved by the ACP (Administration) for the Commissioner of Police (Railway Mumbai). No permission/NOC from BMC was taken by the agency/Railways before installing the hoardings.
BMC issued notice to the agency that installed the hoardings. In the statement, BMC said that it allows hoardings of maximum size of 40×40 square feet. However, the size of the illegal hoarding that fell was 120×120 square feet. That means this hoarding was approximately 15000 square feet.
Police registered FIR against the company
The police have registered a complaint against the billboard manufacturing agency M/s Ego Media and its owner. A case under sections 304, 338, 337 of IPC is being registered against hoarding owner Bhavesh Bhinde and others at Pant Nagar police station and investigation is being done.
President expressed grief
Expressing grief over this accident in Ghatkopar, President Draupadi Murmu wrote on social media handle I express my deepest condolences to the bereaved family members. I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured people and wish for the success of the relief and rescue operations.
Hoardings will be audited: CM Shinde
At the same time, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde reached Ghatkopar area to inspect the devastation caused by the storm. Where he gave many instructions to the officials. He said that saving people is our priority. The government will bear the expenses of the treatment of those injured in the incident. Rs 5 lakh will be given to the families of those who lost their lives. I have directed the concerned officials to audit all such hoardings in Mumbai.
