Ghatkopar hoarding collapse: It crashed before GRP could act against advertising agency for 'harming' trees, say officials

The hoarding in Ghatkopar had collapsed on a petrol pump on Monday. File Pic/Sameer Markande

The officials of the Government Railway Police (GRP) on Tuesday said that the Ghatkopar hoarding collapsed even before it could take action against the advertising agency over a complaint that it damaged trees to erect it, reported the PTI.

The billboard was reportedly installed on its land.

Atleast 14 persons died and 75 others were injured after the 120 x 120-feet hoarding collapsed on a petrol pump in Chheda Nagar area on Monday evening due to gusty winds and unseasonal rains.

Rescuers clear debris in Ghatkopar

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The civic officials have said the hoarding was illegal and no permission was taken to install it.

A case has been registered against Bhavesh Bhinde, the owner of M/s Ego Media Private Limited, the advertising agency that installed the hoarding, and others for culpable homicide not amounting to murder and other relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code at Pant Nagar police station.

The GRP said, the BMC had last week issued a letter against the advertising company M/s Ego Media Private Limited for complaint of damaging the roadside trees for installing hoardings.

"After receiving the letter from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the GRP initiated the proceedings against the advertising company. But before any action could be taken against it, the tragic incident took place," the official said in a statement, as per the PTI.

Meanwhile, the statement issued by the Assistant Commissioner of Police (Admin) of Railway Police said the permission to erect hoardings near the petrol pump on the police land was given to M/s Ego Media Private Limited for a period of 10 years in December 2021 with the approval of the then GRP Commissioner Qaiser Khalid.

The petrol pump of the Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) was being operated by the Government Railway Police Commissioner's Welfare Fund Organisation with the prior permission of the Director General of Police (GRP) since December 10, 2021, it added.

Will act against all illegal hoardings in Mumbai: BMC

A day after the collapse of an illegal hoarding claimed 14 lives in Ghatkopar hoarding collapse, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Tuesday said that it would take action against all hoardings erected without its permission, reported the PTI.

No action was taken in the past against the giant hoarding that crashed on a petrol pump in Chheda Nagar area on Monday evening as a dispute was going on between the BMC and Government Railway Police (GRP), an official said, as per the PTI.

The drive will start with the removal of the remaining three hoardings on the GRP land in Ghatkopar, said municipal commissioner Bhushan Gagrani on Tuesday after visiting the site where rescue operation is underway, according to the PTI.

(with PTI inputs)