A Sunday evening outing to one of Gujarat’s tourist attractions on the Machhu river — the Morbi Bridge suspension bridge — turned into a deadly nightmare for hundreds of people when the cables on the bridge snapped and the construction went crashing down into the water.
According to officials, 134 people have died, while over 500 personnel from the Indian Army, Indian Navy, Air Force, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force, Indian Coast Guard, local police, fire services and other agencies have been involved in the rescue operations.
The Gujarat Police on Monday arrested nine persons, including four from the Oreva group that was managing the Morbi suspension bridge, and filed a case against firms tasked with the bridge’s maintenance and operation. Additionally, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) will be formed to investigate what went wrong on Sunday and who’s to blame for this tragedy.
What is more shocking is that the bridge came crashing down just days after it was reopened to the public after six months of renovation; the British-era bridge was thrown open to the public on Gujarati New Year on 26 October.
So, what exactly went wrong? How did a bridge that was just repaired collapse? Is the company behind the renovations to blame for the incident?
We examine what went wrong and how the collapse became one of India’s deadliest bridge accidents.
‘Maintenance’ issues
Initial investigations by the Gujarat Police has revealed that technical, structural flaws combined with maintenance issues were responsible for the Morbi Bridge collapse on Sunday.
Rajkot Range Inspector General Ashok Kumar Yadav in a press conference on Monday said, “Our preliminary investigation has revealed that technical and structural flaws, including (lack of) certification as well as some maintenance issues, were responsible for the tragedy.”
The Oreva Group was given the repair and maintenance tender in June 2020. Following that the over 140-year-old bridge had been shut down for renovations and only opened to the public on 26 October. At the inauguration, Oreva Managing Director Jaysukhbhai Patel had said that the company had done “100 per cent renovation in Rs 2 crore”.
Incidentally, the Oreva Group, which manufactures wall clocks under the Ajanta and Orpat brands, CFL bulbs and e-bikes, does not have any exposure in the construction business.
Moreover, the bridge was thrown open to the public without acquiring a fitness certificate from the civic authorities, a mandatory requirement.
Sandeepsinh Jhala, chief officer, Morbi Municipality said, “It was opened for the public after the completion of the renovation work. But the local municipality had not yet issued any fitness certificate (after the renovation work).”
To make matters worse, no official intimation was given either to the district administration or local authorities before reopening the bridge.
Several local portals have reported that after signing the deal, Oreva allegedly outsourced the technical requirements of the renovation to a small, unknown company called Devprakash Solutions.
NDTV has also reported that neither Oreva nor Devprakash Solutions had renovated the wires holding the bridge together and the old ones remained even after repairs.
Rescuers on boats search in the Machchu river next to Morbi bridge that collapsed. AP
Weight matters
Soon after the incident, a spokesperson from the Oreva Group, told the media that the bridge collapsed because there were “far too many people on it than its approved capacity.”
People who survived the fall and others who visited the 230-metre-long tourist attraction all recounted that the bridge was overcrowded on Sunday. Reports say that between 500 and 600 people, including women and children, are believed to have been on the bridge when it collapsed Sunday.
A 28-year-old father of two, whose kids missed the collapse by a hair’s breadth, told The Print, “It’s clearly the fault of the authorities. Why were so many people permitted on the bridge at the same time? Of course, people will keep coming if they are not stopped. The cable simply snapped.”
Incidentally, the Oreva Group was also tasked with amenities like issuing tickets at the bridge spanning the Machchhu river for a period of 15 years. The Morbi municipality had agreed the company could collect Rs 15 from adults and Rs 10 from children below the age of 12 as entry tickets for the first year, with a Rs 2 hike every subsequent year, as per the agreement.
World leaders express grief
The catastrophe has evoked strong reactions from people within and from abroad. World leaders, including US President Joe Biden and Russia’s Vladimir Putin extended their condolences to the families of the victims.
In a statement released by the US President Biden said, “Today, our hearts are with India. Jill and I send our deepest condolences to the families who lost loved ones during the bridge collapse, and join the people of Gujarat in mourning the loss of too many lives cut short. The United States and India are indispensable partners, with deep bonds between our citizens. In this difficult hour, we will continue to stand with and support the Indian people.”
Russia’s strongman Vladimir Putin said, “Dear Ms President, dear Mr Prime Minister, please accept my heartfelt condolences over the tragic bridge collapse in the state of Gujarat. He also conveyed his words of sympathy and support to the families and friends of the victims, and wished all those injured a speedy recovery, state-run TASS news agency reported.
Other world leaders — from Israel to Bhutan — have also expressed their sorrow over the incident and paid condolences to the families who lost their loved ones.
With inputs from agencies
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