At least 14 persons were killed and 76 others injured on Monday night after a 100-foot tall billboard fell on a petrol pump in Ghatkopar area of Mumbai. Following the tragic incident, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) conducted rescue operations overnight to help the people trapped under the rubble.
In view of the accident, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, while on his visit to Varanasi to attend PM Modi's nomination filing, expressed his condolences and said: "It is a painful and sad incident, I myself visited the spot yesterday. The government will bear all the expenses of the people injured in this incident."
The Maharashtra CM has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh for the next kin of the victims.
Stressing to take action against those responsible in the incident, Shinde said: "Strict action will be taken against the owner of the hoarding. A case of culpable homicide has been registered."
President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar also expressed their grief and condolences for the victims who lost their lives in the Ghatkopar incident.
The President also wished speedy recovery for those who have sustained injuries during the hoarding collapse.
The hoarding collapsed in Ghatkopar after heavy rains and thunderstorms in Mumbai, following which the illegal hoarding collapsed onto a petrol pump, leaving people trapped under it, at the Ghatkopar's Cheddanagar Junction.
Taking swift action, the NDRF undertook rescue operations overnight and utlised excavators and sifts to assist people out of the debris and retrieve the bodies.
According to BMC Mumbai, rescue operations are underway at the site, with co-ordination among various agencies.
"Disaster Management Department of BMC is overseeing co-ordination with all concerned agencies. Municipal Commissioner & Administrator Shri. Bhushan Gagrani, along with other officials, are closely monitoring the situation," BMC posted on X.
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