Ajmera Realty Denies Links To Ghatkopar Billboard Collapse
The Ajmera Group claimed it took the Ghatkopar advertisement space on rent for five days in April last year.
Ajmera Realty and Infra India Ltd. distanced itself from the Ghatkopar billboard that collapsed during the dust storm in Mumbai on Monday, saying it was not owned or managed by the company, after social media users pointed out purported links.
The Ajmera Group claimed it took the Ghatkopar advertisement space on rent for five days in April last year.
"This space is in NO WAY owned or managed by Ajmera Group or by any of our entities. We regret the loss of life and urge the appropriate authorities to take action against the people responsible (sic)," the company said.
The 100-feet tall billboard that collapsed in Ghatkopar resulted in the deaths of 14 people and left at least 44 injured.
In a post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) in April 2023, the city-based developer hailed 'Asia's largest hoarding' that made its way to the Guinness Book of World Records, calling it a "proud moment". It featured a video that showed an advertisement for an Ajmera Realty project on the giant hoarding.
After many users reshared the post and slammed the company for the recent tragedy, it was deleted.
Ajmera Realty & Infra India had termed the building of the Ghatkopar billboard a "proud moment". The post was deleted after backlash. (Source: Mohammed Zubair/X)
The Ghatkopar billboard crashed right in the middle of a refuelling station after severe dust storms and rain hit Mumbai on Monday.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corp. has declared the billboard—a 120x120 foot structure—"illegal," implying that it did not give the advertising agency permission to erect that and other such structures. According to officials cited by news agency PTI, the BMC limits billboard sizes to 40x40 feet only.
The incident triggered a dispute between the BMC and the Indian Railways over land ownership. The civic body has claimed that the land where the incident occurred is not under its jurisdiction but belongs to the Railway Police. It said it intends to lodge a complaint against the railways and the advertising company involved in the incident under the Disaster Management Act.
The Mumbai Police have registered a case against Bhavesh Bhinde, the owner of M/s Ego Media Pvt. and others for culpable homicide not amounting to murder and other relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code at Pant Nagar police station.
