Ghatkopar hoarding accident case: Supreme Court to hear the Petition next week

A hoarding that collapsed in Mumbai last month claiming 17 lives was installed on a weak foundation, as per a report submitted by a technological institute to police, officials said on June 6.

While ideally any hoarding structure in the city should be able to withstand wind speeds of 158 kilometre per hour, the billboard that collapsed in Ghatkopar could withstand a wind speed of only 49 kmph, according to the report submitted on June 5.

Supreme Court Petition

The Supreme Court has now agreed to hear the petition filed by Bombay Municipal Corporation regarding the Ghatkopar hoarding accident case. The vacation bench of the Supreme Court will hear the case next week.

The court has ordered the officials to ensure that no untoward incident occurs on any land owned by the railways or the municipal corporation, as the monsoon season has arrived.

Railways pulls up their hand from the Incident

During the hearing of the case, Additional Solicitor General Vikramjit Banerjee, appearing on behalf of the railways, told the court that the railways have nothing to do with the incident of the hoarding falling at Ghatkopar. Because the hoarding was not on the railways’ land.

Rational Policies To Be Considered

Let us tell you that while hearing a petition, the Bombay High Court had said that CIDCO should consider making a comprehensive and rational policy regarding hoardings. Instead of directly demolishing the hoardings, they should investigate their shortcomings through policy.

This petition was filed in the High Court by Devangi Outdoor Advertising and others. It has been claimed in the petition that the unfortunate incident of Ghatkopar has not given anyone the right to take arbitrary action.

Petitioner Claims for Authorized Hoardings

The petitioner has seven hoardings in Panvel area. The area where the petitioner has a holding falls in the airport affected area. The petition claims that his holding is authorized. He has put up the holding after taking necessary approvals and permission which was taken from the land owner for which the rent is also being paid on time-to-time.