Death Toll Rises to 14 in Mumbai Hoarding Collapse, NDRF Conducts Overnight Rescue Operations

In a devastating incident on May 13, 2024, a massive illegal advertisement hoarding collapsed on a fuel station in Mumbai's Ghatkopar area, resulting in the loss of 14 lives and injuring 74 others. The tragedy unfolded amid a fierce dust storm that hit the city, triggering the billboard's collapse.

Why this matters: This incident highlights the lack of accountability and enforcement of safety regulations in Mumbai, which can have disastrous consequences for citizens. It also raises concerns about the role of illegal advertising structures in urban areas and the need for stricter regulations to prevent such tragedies in the future.

The 100-foot billboard, measuring an astounding 17,040 square feet, was constructed without the permission of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). According to BMC Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani, "It was an illegal hoarding. The location where the incident occurred has four hoardings set up on the railway land and one of them has collapsed. The BMC had been objecting to (setting up) hoardings for one year." The civic body allows a maximum hoarding size of 40 x 40 square feet, but the collapsed hoarding far exceeded this limit at 120 x 120 square feet. The agency responsible for erecting the hoarding, M/S Ego Media, failed to obtain the necessary permission or No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the BMC before installation.

The land on which the hoarding was erected is owned by the Government Railway Police, and the Assistant Police Commissioner (Admin) had granted permission for the installation of four hoardings, including the one that collapsed. However, the BMC had previously issued a notice to the Assistant Commissioner of Police (Admin) to instruct the advertising agency to remove the hoardings, citing the cancellation of all permissions.

In response to the tragedy, the BMC has issued a notice to M/S Ego Media to remove the remaining three hoardings near the spot immediately. A complaint has been registered against the agency, and the BMC has filed an FIR. Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde visited the site of the collapse and assured that his government would conduct a structural audit of all hoardings in the city. He also announced an aid of Rs 5 lakh to the families of each person killed in the incident.

The incident has raised serious concerns about the safety and legality of advertisement hoardings in Mumbai. In July 2023, a case was registered against M/s Ego Media for allegedly poisoning trees that obstructed the view of their hoardings in the Chheda Nagar area. The Commissioner of Railway Police, Ravindra Shisave, has launched a probe into the permissions given for installing the hoardings. The three remaining hoardings are likely to be removed by the BMC on May 14, 2024.

The incident has also sparked a blame game between the BMC and the Railways, with both agencies accusing each other of negligence and failure to take appropriate action against the illegal hoardings.

Key Takeaways

• A tragic incident in Mumbai's Ghatkopar area claimed 14 lives and injured 74.
• The collapse of an illegal advertisement hoarding occurred during a fierce dust storm.
• It underscores the lack of accountability and safety regulation enforcement.
• The massive 100-foot billboard was erecte d without BMC permission.
• It exceeded regulatory limits by 17,040 square feet.