Actors Vijay Varma, Mini Mathur express anguish over Mumbai hoarding collapse

Vijay Varma and Mini Mathur. Pics/Yogen Shah

Vijay Varma and Mini Mathur were among the actors who expressed their grief at the loss of lives and injuries to people after a massive hoarding in Mumbai's Ghatkopar collapsed on Monday evening due to heavy rain and dust storms in the city and raised questions over the "illegal" huge billboard having been allowed to come up.

Taking to her Instagram stories Mini Mathur wrote, "Life in our country has ZERO VALUE. Whose hoarding is it? Who allowed it to stand there for years? The blame game this week will lead to no answers and the corrupt nexus that allowed the open flouting of rules will never be taken apart. Disgusting."

"The case of the invisible hoarding (until of course it fell on people and killed them)," Soni Razdan wrote on her Instagram story.

Actor Vijay Varma shared a video of the accident on Instagram Stories, and wrote, "Oh no."

Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani on Tuesday said that action will be taken against all the illegal hoardings in Mumbai, adding that the hoarding that collapsed in Ghatkopar was not permitted by the civic body.

Forty-four people have been admitted to the hospital with injuries after the hoarding collapse incident that took place on Monday and claimed 14 lives.

"BMC has ordered that action be taken against all illegal hoarding in the city. We are starting that today. A case has been registered in this case. This hoarding did not have any permission. A complaint was also received that some trees were also cut so that this hoarding would be visible. We have also registered a case again," Bhushan Gagrani told reporters.

BJP leader Kirit Somaiya said that the owner of the advertising agency responsible for installing the billboard should be held responsible for the mishap.

Somaiya alleged that the police should declare the owner of the agency a "fugitive". Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said that strict action will be taken against the owner of the hoarding and that a case of culpable homicide has been registered in the incident.

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