Mumbai, May 19: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) confirmed on Friday that the petrol pump, where a hoarding collapsed in Ghatkopar on May 13, resulting in the tragic death of 16 individuals, was operating without an occupation certificate (OC) and lacked a licence from the civic body’s building and factory department.
BMC officials revealed that the plot where the petrol pump was situated was originally reserved for police staff quarters, according to the Development Plan (DP). Despite this reservation, the land was utilized for the petrol pump.
Civic sources disclosed that modifications to the DP reservation for this plot were proposed in September 2022. By this time, the petrol pump had already applied for a licence from the BMC. A senior BMC official stated, “An application was received in September 2022 seeking a licence under Section 394 of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation (MMC) Act 1881. However, it was forwarded to the chief fire officer for approval. Without receiving this approval, the petrol pump commenced operations, necessitating legal action against them. The case is currently being heard in the metropolitan magistrate court.”
During the rescue operations following the hoarding collapse, the Mumbai fire brigade encountered significant challenges due to the presence of 50,000 liters of stored diesel and 25,000 liters of petrol at the site. Deputy Chief Fire Officer SD Sawant explained, “The stored fuel made it impossible to use any cutting tools that could generate sparks. Additionally, a tanker carrying bitumen, stored at a temperature of 180 degrees Celsius, was refilling its tank at the time of the crash.”
Fire officers highlighted the extreme risk posed by the high temperatures of the bitumen tanker, which remained above 100 degrees Celsius during the rescue operations. This incident, being the first of its kind in Mumbai, left rescuers without a set protocol to follow while attempting to retrieve the bodies.
The BMC also provided a conservative estimate of the damage to approximately 70 vehicles affected by the accident, amounting to Rs 26.4 crore. Civic sources emphasized the magnitude of the destruction and the ensuing financial impact.
This tragic event underscores the critical importance of adherence to regulatory requirements and the potential consequences of non-compliance, as the city grapples with the aftermath of this unprecedented disaster.
