NEW DELHI, May 16: Bhavesh Bhinde, the absconding owner of the company Ego Media which was responsible for installing the giant billboard that collapsed on a petrol pump in Mumbai’s Ghatkopar killing 16 persons and injuring 74 others, was arrested from Udaipur in Rajasthan on Thursday.
A case was filed against Bhinde after the billboard erected by his company collapsed during a storm in Mumbai on Monday causing the huge casualty.
Bhinde had been on the run since the incident occurred. He already has over 20 cases against him, including one of rape. The 120X120-foot hoarding that collapsed in Ghatkopar on Monday was so large that it made it to the Limca Book of Records. According to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), billboards larger than 40 x40 feet are not permitted.
Following the Ghatkopar hoarding incident, BMC announced that no new hoardings would be allowed in Mumbai at this time; irrespective of whether the advertisement board is in any government or private premises. These instructions are mandatory to follow. The crucial decision was made by BMC Commissioner and Administrator Bhushan Gagrani at a meeting with officials from many agencies that took place at BMC headquarters.
The Municipal Corporation Administration has ordered the Railway Administration to remove illegally sized billboards in Ghatkopar to prevent a repeat of similar incidents.
Meanwhile, the petrol pimp on which the giant billboard came crashing also did not have the necessary Occupancy Certificate (OC), sources said. An OC is a formal document granted by a municipal body, confirming that a building has followed all laws, relevant building codes and regulations.
Following the Ghatkopar billboard incident, authorities have expanded their inquiry to include the petrol pump’s permit status. In Mumbai, businesses, including petrol pumps, require licenses sanctioned by the BMC. While interim licenses were issued for constructing petrol pumps on Government Railway Police (GRP) sites, investigations are underway to determine if the requisite operational license was secured.
The focus has now shifted to scrutinising the permits granted to such establishments, with the Mumbai metropolitan area mandating licenses overseen by the BMC for any business operations. Also under investigation are the provisional licenses issued for the construction of petrol pumps, particularly those replacing GRP structures.
The land on which the petrol pump operates falls within the jurisdiction of the housing department, requiring approval from the Revenue Department for commercial use. Lack of clarity regarding how commercial activities were sanctioned at the site without obtaining permissions from the Revenue Department has prompted inquiries directed at the Police Housing Development Corporation.
According to sources, objections were raised by the Police Housing Development Corporation concerning construction activity at the petrol pump site. The corporation, responsible for housing solutions for police personnel, contends that the land was earmarked for government infrastructure or residential purposes for government employees. Despite objections and recommendations against the construction of petrol pumps on such lands, work commenced without securing governmental approvals.
The Railway Commissioner sought permission from the Director General of Police (DGP) to proceed with the project, citing potential revenue generation for police welfare initiatives.
(Manas Dasgupta)