Ahmedabad: A horrific accident took place in South Bopal where 10 labourers fell from the seventh floor of the Vishwkunj-2 apartment building while installing a hoarding measuring 25 feet by 10 feet. Two workers, identified as Raj and Mahesh from Uttar Pradesh, lost their lives, while another worker, Ravi, sustained serious injuries and is under treatment.
According to reports, the hoarding came in contact with electric wires on a pole, causing a blast that led to the workers losing balance and falling. The blast also snapped power lines and damaged a car parked below as the hoarding crashed onto it.
No permission from AMC Estate Department
Authorities stated that no official permission had been taken from the Estate Department of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation’s (AMC) South-West Zone for erecting the hoarding. In the city, it is mandatory to obtain clearance from the municipal body before installing hoardings, but no such approval had been secured in this case.
Hoarding installed through a rent agreement: DySP
Ahmedabad Rural DySP Neelam Goswami confirmed the incident occurred at Vishwkunj Apartments, where an agency was installing a hoarding for VS Jewellers. The DySP added that the hoarding work was arranged through a rent agreement between the ad agency and the society.
Safety and structural stability under probe
DySP Goswami further said that all 10 workers fell during the installation process, after which police rushed to the spot and shifted the injured to Sola Civil Hospital. A case has been registered at Bopal police station, while investigators are examining whether safety norms and structural stability rules were followed. The ad agency’s responsibility in ensuring worker safety during the task is also being scrutinised.
This accident has once again raised questions about safety compliance and regulatory oversight in Ahmedabad’s outdoor advertising industry.