After 14 deaths, BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation acts against illegal hoardings in Mumbai

Mumbai: A day after a gigantic hoarding measuring 14,400 sq ft (120x120 feet) crashed in Mumbai, killing at least 14 persons and injuring around 88 more, the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Tuesday initiated action against illegal hoardings that flout norms in different parts of the city, even as the Opposition blamed the state government for the tragedy.

The move follows a missive by the Mumbai Suburban District Disaster Management Authority (MSDDMA) late on Monday to wield the axe on all illegal hoardings, which violate various rules, including the crashed structure owned by EGO Media Co., an official said.

The Pant Nagar police station lodged a complaint against EGO Media proprietor Bhavesh Bhinde, invoking charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, and launched a probe into the incident.

The tragedy proved an embarrassment for the ruling MahaYuti government, coming barely a week before the fifth and final phase of Lok Sabha elections in the state on May 20 in all the constituencies in Mumbai.

The Maha Vikas Aghadi-INDIA-Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Sanjay Dina Patil cancelled all his election campaign programmes on Tuesday as a mark of respect for the victims who perished or were injured in the disaster.

AICC General Secretary Ramesh Chennithala, state Congress President Nana Patole, Leader of Opposition Vijay Wadettiwar, and other leaders visited the Rajawadi Hospital in Ghatkopar where many of the injured are being treated.

“The BMC and the state government are directly responsible for this huge tragedy. The government has not conducted civic polls for two years, there are no people’s representatives as officials are taking all the decisions. The investigation will reveal the full details of the mishap,” said Chennithala.

The BJP, meanwhile, has alleged that Bhinde is reportedly linked with the opposition Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders after his photos with Uddhav Thackeray and other leaders went viral on social media.

Hitting back, the Mumbai Congress posted on X: “The Ajmera Group, inspired by Narendra Modi, erected Asia’s largest hoarding at Ghatkopar, which tragically collapsed yesterday, claiming the lives of 14 people & injuring 74 others. Despite its size, its illegal construction led to this devastating outcome.” (IANS)

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