Overview
- A large birthday flex banner affixed to the Teen Hath Naka foot overbridge on the Eastern Express Highway tore loose and fell onto a passing two-wheeler rider in a video widely shared on social media on Monday.
- Footage shows the banner ripping in gusts and landing on the biker’s helmet, briefly disorienting him before he pulled over, removed the material and continued riding.
- At the time of reporting officials had not issued a statement and there was no confirmed action against those who installed the banner, leaving questions about who authorised the display.
- Reporters and commuters said the incident underlines a recurring hazard from unauthorised banners and hoardings on public structures, citing an earlier collapse in Tirupur this year that also struck a two-wheeler.
- The near-miss has prompted calls for immediate removal of illegal hoardings, stricter enforcement of ‘no-banner’ zones on bridges and clearer municipal oversight to prevent a potentially fatal accident.