Tragedy spurs BMC to act against all illegal hoardings in Mumbai

Mumbai, May 14 (PTI) A day after the collapse of an illegal hoarding on a petrol pump claimed 14 lives in Ghatkopar, the Mumbai civic body on Tuesday said it would take action against all hoardings erected without its permission in the city.

As the demolition of the remaining hoardings on the land in possession of the Government Railway Police (GRP) started in the evening, a senior official said no action had been taken earlier as a dispute was going on between the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the railway police.

"Regarding the incident of Monday, a case has been registered. We have also directed all civic officials and assistant commissioners to remove all hoardings in their respective wards which have been erected without BMC's permission or which are dangerous, immediately," said municipal commissioner Bhushan Gagrani after visiting the collapse site where rescue operation was underway.

"In the next few days you will find this action completed," he added.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde also gave directives in this regard to the civic body, Gagrani added. The BMC does not have an elected body at present as civic elections are pending for more than two years.

Reiterating that the BMC had not given any permission for the hoarding that collapsed on Monday evening amid rain and gusting winds, Gagrani said it had been conducting correspondence (with the owner of the advertising firm which had put it up and concerned agencies) regarding it for the last two years, and also lodged a police complaint for the poisoning of trees on its periphery.

"A stand was taken that we (GRP) do not need permission (for a hoarding on railway land) under the Railway Act. The BMC's response was that it was not legally correct. And hence, in the whole episode, so far there was no action," the commissioner claimed.

An assistant police commissioner (admin) had given permission for these hoardings on behalf of the commissioner of railway police, Mumbai, but no permission had been obtained from the BMC, a civic official had claimed earlier.

The death toll in the incident stands at 14 while the condition of two injured persons was critical, Gagrani said, adding that most of the injured are admitted to the Rajawadi hospital while those who require neurosurgery have been shifted to the KEM hospital. Both hospitals are run by the BMC.

The civic body on Tuesday evening started demolition of the remaining hoardings near the ill-fated petrol pump, said an official.

A total of eight back-to-back hoardings stood at four locations, and one of these sets of hoardings collapsed on Monday, he said.

The operation was likely to be completed by tomorrow evening, the official added.

The civic body enlisted the help of Maha Mumbai Metro Operation Corporation Limited (MMMOCL), seeking its expertise and machinery for the demolition.

The MMMOCL has heavy-duty machinery like cranes needed for such operations, said an official of the metro corporation. PTI