Golpark: A giant gate erected by a government body - of the type puja organisers are prevented from putting up for reasons of safety - collapsed in Golpark on Thursday morning, leaving a man injured.

The gate over the road announcing Bengal Means Business was among the several recently erected by West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation across the city.

The gate that collapsed was at least 15ft from the ground and its iron frame had some sharp edges that could inflict serious injuries to people.

Kartick Mondal, 48, was walking along the road towards Gariahat when the gate came crashing down. Police took Mondal, bleeding from his head, to AMRI Hospitals, Dhakuria. "He suffered a scalp injury and was advised a CT scan," a hospital official said.

Sahadeb Sarkar, a hawker on the pavement, said the temporary gate had been built two-three days ago.

The police and the civic body do not allow such gates hovering over arterial roads to be erected by puja organisers on the ground that they pose a threat to public safety.

"In our meetings with the organisers before every Puja, we clearly says such gates are not allowed on thoroughfares. They are allowed in lanes and bylanes," an officer who has attended several pre-Puja meetings said.

It was not clear why the government allowed one of its organisations to set up a structure that it considers a safety hazard.

A police officer said such gates were not allowed during Puja in accordance with a high court order. "The order says such gates can be erected with permission from the Calcutta Municipal Corporation and police. Neither organisation gives permission," the officer said.

Supratim Sarkar, the joint commissioner of police (headquarters), didn't take calls.