The city of New Delhi An enormous billboard in Mumbai, the financial capital of India, collapsed on Monday evening as a result of a severe wind and dust storm. The incident resulted in at least 14 fatalities and 74 injuries.
The metal billboard, which was 120 feet in length and height and was larger than an Olympic-sized swimming pool, was situated above a gas station in the Ghatkopar suburb of Mumbai before it collapsed. The resulting crush of vehicles and individuals below was catastrophic.
The billboard, which was advertised as Asia’s largest, was captured in videos that were shared on social media. It was seen to be in motion before collapsing during the blinding dust storm, which was followed by heavy rains that disrupted traffic and aircraft in the city.
In order to locate survivors and recover bodies, rescuers employed heavy machinery to cut through the contorted metal detritus of the collapsed structure throughout the night and into Tuesday afternoon.
The highest-ranking government official in the state of Maharashtra, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, characterized the incident as “sad and painful” and threatened the proprietors of the billboard with “strict action.” In addition, he announced that the government would distribute 500,000 Indian rupees (approximately $6000) in compensation to each family whose member was killed in the calamity.
In a statement, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the municipal body of Mumbai, declared that the Ego Media agency, the proprietor of the substantial billboard, did not possess the requisite permit to install it.
The BMC determined that the hoarding exceeded the authorized dimensions by a factor of nine.
Bhavesh Bhinde, the proprietor of Ego Media, has been charged with culpable homicide by the police.
Shinde stated in a social media post that the BMC was mandated to conduct a safety audit of all hoardings in the densely populated, expansive city and to remove any that were deemed hazardous.
Given that climate change exacerbates storms that frequently bring severe rain and gusts, Mumbai, the commercial and financial capital of India, is replete with innumerable towering advertising billboards. This is a cause for concern.
The city is frequently inundated with water during the monsoon season, which spans from June to September.
