Mumbai Hoarding Collapse: Two More Bodies Recovered, Death Toll Reaches 16

Two more bodies were recovered today from a car crushed beneath a giant hoarding that collapsed in Mumbai's Ghatkopar on Monday evening. The death toll from the incident has now climbed to 16, according to officials with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), ANI reported.

#UPDATE | Mumbai's Ghatkopar hoarding collapse incident: 2 more bodies have been recovered from a car stuck under the hoarding. A total of 16 dead bodies recovered so far: NDRF https://t.co/1bA0z8rrgD

— ANI (@ANI) May 15, 2024

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has issued notices to the administrations of the Central Railway and the Western Railway following a fatal incident involving a collapsed billboard that claimed 16 lives.

In a press release issued on Wednesday evening, the BMC cited Section 30 (2) (V) of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, in its notice to both zonal railways. The notice demands the removal of hoardings exceeding 40 x 40 feet in size due to safety concerns, particularly in light of Mumbai's coastal location and unpredictable weather conditions.

The tragedy struck on Monday evening when a massive 120x120 feet hoarding collapsed onto a petrol pump at Chheda Nagar in Ghatkopar, Mumbai. Strong winds and unseasonal rains were cited as contributing factors, resulting in 16 fatalities and 75 injuries. The hoarding in question was situated on land under the Government Railway Police's (GRP) jurisdiction.

Prompted by this incident, the BMC has initiated a city-wide crackdown on illegal and hazardous hoardings. The civic body claims to be swiftly demolishing such structures and has already begun dismantling three hoardings on GRP's land in Ghatkopar, erected without proper authorization.

Challenges have arisen during the demolition process due to high wind speeds, delaying the removal of all three hoardings. However, the BMC assures that two of the hoardings will be down by Thursday night, prioritizing public safety amidst adverse weather conditions.

Additionally, the BMC has removed a sizable hoarding belonging to a local sweet shop near Malad railway station, responding to citizen complaints aired on social media platforms.