Mumbai hoarding collapse: Petrol pump was operating without occupation certificate, say civic officials

“In case of government plots, an entity is first given a LoI, which suggests that permission is given to set up a commercial unit. Then OC is issued, which would indicate that the entity is ready to start its operations. In this case, the BMC had issued a LOI to the pump, however OC wasn’t issued,” an official said.

The officials also maintained that the local civic authorities didn’t take any action on the petrol pump over the past two years.

“We have contacted the petroleum authorities and have told them to submit permission-related documents by tomorrow. As of now, we only know that LOI was issued but there’s no clarity about the OC yet,” said Gajanan Bellale, assistant municipal commissioner of N ward, under whose jurisdiction the Ghatkopar area falls.

Civic officials said that the documents will be sent to the civic legal department from where the next course of action will be taken.

The billboard came crashing on the petrol pump at Ghatkopar’s Pant Nagar area. The incident claimed 16 lives, while 75 others were injured. According to civic authorities, the size of the billboard was nine times more than the permissible limit prescribed by the BMC.