Pune hoarding collapse: FIR registered against contractor and workers

A First Information Report (FIR) has been registered against contractor and workers after a massive hoarding frame collapsed here killing four and injuring nine.

A huge hoarding frame installed on the railway land at Pune's Shahir Amar Shaikh Chowk near Juna Bazaar collapsed while it was being cut on Friday afternoon.

Milind Deouskar, Divisional Railway Manager, Pune informed that an inquiry has been ordered to probe the matter.

Deouskar told ANI, "It was a very unfortunate incident and it occurred while railway was in process of dismantling the advertisement hoarding which was not restrained as per railway norms. To ascertain various aspects of this incident a high-level inquiry has been ordered by Zonal headquarter. Who so ever is responsible will not be spared."

"The hoarding was in Railway premises and there was a vacant railway plot so as per the primafacie aspect of planning, the hoarding after being cut, was supposed to fall in the railway land itself. There was some misjudgment by the people who were undertaking the work and that detailed inquiry will further reveal about what went wrong. We will see to as how this type of incident can be avoided in future," he added.

He further announced the compensation for the bereaved families.

"We have declared ex-gratia compensation of Rs 5 Lakh for kin of those dead, Rs 1 Lakh for seriously injured and Rs 50 thousand for those who suffered a minor injury. Further whatever it takes to provide the best treatment to injure will be ensured."

At least four people were killed and nine injured after a flex banner near Shivaji Nagar railway station in Pune collapsed earlier today. The banner fell on moving vehicles damaging about seven to eight of them.

Soon after the accident, fire brigade and railway police rushed to the spot to carry out the rescue operation. The injured are being treated in various hospitals.