Ghatkopar billboard collapse: Hoarding pillars a few feet deep, poor quality work for financial benefits, say police

The remand report stated, “This company has about 28 hoardings all over Mumbai and the surrounding areas and gets a monthly income of crores of rupees. Still, based on the photos of the foot of the hoarding taken at the site of the incident prima facie show that the construction was of poor quality with the aim of getting more financial benefits. Due to this act of the accused, 17 innocent people have died and more than 80 people have been injured causing huge loss of life and money.”

Soon after the incident, the BMC had asked Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (VJTI) to conduct a probe on whether the structure was stable and submit a report. When the Indian Express visited the spot on Friday, a crane was used to remove the five pillars from the ground. Following that, mud was removed and samples of concrete at the base of the pillars were taken to VJTI. The pillars were seen a few feet deep below which piling work was seen underground.

An officer said, “The VJTI team collected the samples on Saturday following which they will submit a report on whether the structure was stable enough. However, one could see that the first pillar was five to six feet deep below which there was piling work. The VJTI will be able to tell us conclusively how strong the structure was.”

Ego Media had earlier presented a structural stability certificate issued by audit firm City Engineering Services (CES) dated April 24, 2023 to Government Railway Police (GRP) and other concerned departments. The officer added that if VJTI says the structure was weak, they would record statements of the audit firm as well.