Ghatkopar hoarding collapse: Ex-commissioner allowed hoarding to be set up, says GRP

Former Government Railway Police Commissioner Quaiser Khalid at an event in a Byculla school on October 11. File pic

The Government Railway Police (GRP) has acknowledged that its former commissioner Quaiser Khalid had granted permission to Ego Media Pvt Ltd to erect the hoarding that killed 14 citizens after collapsing on a petrol pump, on Monday. They are now checking the legality of the move. The authorities had also apparently turned a blind eye despite the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and other authorities writing letters to them warning about the hazards posed by illegal hoardings.

The GRP said the civic body had sent them a letter last week, asking them to remove the illegal hoardings as the owners were allegedly involved in cutting or poisoning the trees on Eastern Express Highway. "We had started to act on the letter but unfortunately the incident took place before the action was completed," claimed a GRP official.

"The place where the hoarding is standing in Ghatkopar is in the name of the Mumbai Railway Police. Before I took charge, permission had been granted to put up the hoarding. This has been taken very seriously and an inquiry has been started," said Dr Ravindra Shisve, commissioner, GRP.

Operations were on at the site of the hoarding collapse in Ghatkopar East on Tuesday night. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

According to GRP officials, the BPCL petrol pump was set up in 2021 and that year, the then CP Quaiser Khalid had granted permission for the billboard to stand for 10 years, "Ego Media was the highest bidder and a contract of 10 years had been drawn up between them and the GRP. The conditions were clearly mentioned in the contract," said a GRP official.

Probe underway

According to the GRP officials, an inquiry has been set up regarding this matter and no one will be spared. Pradnya Saravade, DGP Maharashtra GRP confirmed that the land where the mishap occurred belongs to the GRP and the petrol pump comes under a welfare scheme. She stated, "We have initiated an internal inquiry on the legality of the hoarding."

The Pant Nagar police station, which is investigating the matter, said representatives of the GRP would be booked if they found anything suspicious. "As of now, we have not booked anyone from the GRP as we are investigating documents. Accused will be added as the investigation proceeds," said an officer from Pant Nagar police station. Khalid, now the additional director general of police (PCR), was unavailable for comment.

2021
Year petrol pump was set up