Mumbai hoarding collapses claims 14 lives, 74 injured in Ghatkopar
PTC News Desk: During a strong storm that pounded Mumbai on Monday night, a large billboard collapsed, leaving 14 people dead and over 70 injured.
In the Ghatkopar neighborhood of Mumbai, a 100-foot billboard facing a gas station gave way to the storm's fury and fell, frighteningly heavy, straight onto the gas station below. The metal structure was shown on local CCTV cameras smashing through many car roofs before hitting the ground with a thud.
#WATCH | Mumbai: The death toll in the Ghatkopar hoarding collapse incident has risen to 14. There were a total of 88 victims, out of which 74 were rescued injured: NDRF
(Morning visuals of the rescue operations from the spot) pic.twitter.com/vggAIlfY3g — ANI (@ANI) May 14, 2024
There is presently a search and rescue operation underway. Two teams from the NDRF have been sent to support the Mumbai Fire Brigade and other relevant agencies.
On a land that the Maharashtra government's Police Housing Division has leased to the Police Welfare Corporation, Ego Media erected the hoarding. On the property are four Ego Media hoardings, one of which toppled on Monday night. Along with other parties involved in the incident, the proprietor of Ego Media was the subject of a case filed by Mumbai Police.
While the Assistant Commissioner of Police (Railways) gave Ego Media permission to erect all four hoardings, including the one that fell, no authorization or No Objection Certificate (NOC) was sought from the BMC prior to installation. As a result, the BMC has sent a notice to the Railway Commissioner and the ACP of the Railway Police, requesting the removal of the hoardings and the cancellation of all approvals given by the Railways.
Last night, a sudden and intense dust storm engulfed Mumbai, leaving the city in complete darkness. Locals used social media to document the disaster as it unfolded.
The storm's intensity was most felt by the transport networks, which saw local trains and airport services come to a complete stop. Low visibility and high gusts forced Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) to momentarily halt airplane operations.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued severe warnings for Mumbai and the adjacent areas, predicting thunderstorms with lightning and a lot of rain.
While the unexpected rain provided some relief from the intense heat, power shortages in some districts—including Thane's Kalwa—exacerbated the problems already faced by the locals dealing with the storm's aftermath. Other reports from satellite towns like Thane, Ambernath, Badlapur, Kalyan, and Ulhasnagar included structural damage and uprooted trees.
Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Eknath Shinde, visited the scene of the fall and pledged that his administration would carry out a structural assessment of all the city's hoardings.
"The hoardings, if found illegal and dangerous, would be removed immediately," he stated. "This is a really regrettable occurrence. The authorities will look into it, and those who are at fault will be held accountable. In addition, I have requested that the BMC commissioner carry out a structural assessment of every hoarding in the city. Those deemed dangerous or unlawful will be eliminated."
The relatives of each individual killed in the hoarding fall would receive ₹ 5 lakh in help, according to the Chief Minister's announcement.
- With inputs from agencies
