In the chaotic heart of Mumbai's Ghatkopar area, a colossal billboard that collapsed, claiming at least 14 lives and injuring 74 others, was allegedly under scrutiny by BMC officials for the past year. According to the guidelines of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), hoardings are permitted a maximum size of 40×40 feet. However, the billboard that fell in Monday's storm measured a staggering 120×120 feet.
In December 2023, the BMC's Tree Department officially complained to the police against Ego Media, the agency maintaining the hoarding, for violating protocols. BMC officials contacted the police again in April, highlighting that native trees such as Acacia, Peepal, and Peltophorum around the billboard had been mysteriously destroyed.
The commissioner of the municipal corporation, Bhushan Gagrani, speaking to the press after a visit to the BMC headquarters' disaster control room, said, 'To ensure the hoarding was not obscured, 8 trees near Chheda Nagar Junction were poisoned (chemicals were injected into the roots to dry them up). BMC has lodged an FIR concerning this.'
An investigation found that the trees' trunks had been drilled and poisoned so they would die - a clandestine operation to clear the view for a billboard.
After the tragic incident on Monday, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation filed an FIR against Ego Media, the hoarding's maintenance agency, and its owner Bhavesh Bhinde at Pant Nagar Police Station. The BMC has asked Ego Media to dismantle the remaining three hoardings with immediate effect. According to sources, GRP Commissioner Ravindra Shisve has directed the concerned officer to investigate when and who gave permission to erect the hoarding on railway land, and if all the regulations were duly followed.
The BMC has commenced the removal of the other three hoardings at the site. Officials are attempting to cut the small pieces of the collapsed hoarding by hand, as it fell on a petrol pump and using a gas cutter is not feasible. Nor can the entire hoarding be lifted and removed, for fear that an accidental drop could ignite a fire at the petrol pump.
