A giant hoarding that collapsed on a petrol pump in the city’s Ghatkopar suburb recently, due to gusty winds and unseasonal rains, claimed over 16 lives and injured at least 75 people. The hoarding was three times the size sanctioned by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and had a weak foundation. The BMC claims it flagged the irregularities to the Government Railway Police, which owns the land where the hoarding stood. The BMC bears a lot of the blame for the mishap. The two-year delay in the civic poll has meant that the BMC has had to function without corporators.
Data from Mumbai’s observatories suggests perilous wind speeds during the time of the hoarding crash. However, the BMC should have been alerted by a similar occurrence in Pune in 2017 where five people lost their lives. The incident once again puts the spotlight on the menace of illegal banners and hoardings across the country and how they can be fatal in some cases. There have been several such unauthorised banners causing accidents and deaths. Robust safety audits, stringent enforcement of guidelines, and zero tolerance for violations are needed to ensure citizens’ safety.
