A large hoarding collapsed in Pune’s Wagholi area on Tuesday following intense rainfall and strong winds, trapping multiple two-wheelers but causing no injuries.
The incident occurred in the Sanaswadi locality near Ahilyanagar Road, a densely populated commercial zone. Videos shared widely on social media captured the aftermath, showing the metal structure sprawled across a busy street with several motorcycles and bicycles trapped beneath it. The hoarding fell adjacent to a row of shops, sparking concern among local residents. The Pune Fire Brigade responded swiftly and cleared the area, ensuring that no one remained trapped. According to officials, the incident could have led to serious casualties had it occurred during peak pedestrian hours.
Heavy rainfall throughout the day had already disrupted traffic in several parts of the city. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued an alert on Monday forecasting “heavy to very heavy rainfall, thunderstorms with lightning, and gusty winds (50–60 kmph)” for Pune and other parts of Maharashtra. This incident comes a year after a massive hoarding collapse in Mumbai’s Ghatkopar killed 17 people and injured 74. That structure, reportedly illegal, crashed onto a petrol pump during a sudden dust storm and rain. The state government had formed the Justice Dilip Bhosale Commission to investigate the tragedy, and its report was submitted on May 7 this year. The director of the advertising firm responsible, Bhavesh Bhinde, was arrested but later released on bail.
Urban safety experts have repeatedly called for stricter enforcement of structural audits and advertising regulations, especially during the monsoon season, as climate-related weather events grow more frequent and intense.
