RT reported that at least eight people were killed and more than 60 injured on May 13 when a 30-meter-high billboard fell to the ground due to a sudden storm in Ghat Kopar neighborhood, Mumbai. According to Indian media, the billboard fell onto a gas station and nearby residential buildings.
According to the National Disaster response Force (NDRF), more than 60 people have been pulled out of the rubble. Dozens of people may still be stranded. Rescue work was carried out throughout the evening of May 13.
Maharashtra Governor Eknath Shind has said that the families of the deceased will be compensated. He also directed the authorities to check all billboards in the city.
In a post on X network, Deputy Governor of Maharashtra - Mr. Devendra Fadnavis - said that the state government has directed an investigation into the incident.
Speaking to the media later, Mr. fadnavis noted that there were some unusual points in the granting of the construction permit for the project and the state would check who allowed the installation of the billboards.
Mumbai City Council member Bhushan Gagrani told the hindustan Times that the project was illegitimate. We will check the licenses of all billboards in Mumbai and if there are no licenses, they will be considered illegal, he said.
advertising signs collapsed due to unseasonal rain, accompanied by dusty storms and lightning. The change in weather has also led to a number of traffic accidents, canceled flights and trains, and flooding.
Major construction projects have been booming in Mumbai in recent years. The construction of roads and subways as well as the development of residential areas are taking place in many locations in the city with more than 20 million people.
According to data from the Maharashtra Real Estate Management Agency cited by the hindustan Times, a total of 3,927 housing projects were completed in 2023 compared to 1,749 projects in 2022. During the COVID-19 pandemic, construction works were stalled, but the number of completed projects has skyrocketed since the end of the pandemic.
