Following the tragic incident involving a billboard collapse in Ghatkopar, Central Railway has proactively dismantled 4 colossal hoardings and significantly curtailed the dimensions of 14 others, in adherence to the Supreme Court’s directive. In contrast, Western Railway has yet to disclose any corresponding actions, citing ambiguity in the requested information.
RTI Activist Anil Galgali sought clarity from Central Railway regarding the enforcement of the Supreme Court’s orders. In response, B Arun Kumar, the Senior Divisional Commercial Manager of Central Railway, provided a detailed account of the actions executed. Among the 18 hoardings listed, 4 have been permanently eradicated. These include hoardings at Sandhurst Road (3200 ft) and Chunabhatti (3200 ft), with one in Tilak Nagar (1598 ft). M/s Roshan Space had two hoardings removed, while M/s Pioneer and M/s Alakh had one each eliminated.
The hoardings subjected to dimensional reductions are located in Wadi Bandar, three in Byculla, five in Chunabhatti, three in Suman Nagar, and two in Tilak Nagar. The total of 14 hoardings reduced in size includes seven owned by Devangi Outdoor, two by M/s Roshan Space, two by M/s Zest Enterprise, and one each by M/s Wallop, M/s Kothari, and M/s Nucleseats.
Western Railway’s Ambiguity
When questioned about the implementation of the Supreme Court’s order, Saurabh Kumar, the Public Information Officer of Western Railway, refrained from providing specifics, attributing the lack of response to unclear inquiries.
Anil Galgali has voiced satisfaction with the measures undertaken by Central Railway, asserting that such proactive steps will help prevent future tragedies akin to the one that occurred in Ghatkopar.
