A tragedy occurred late on Sunday, October 30, when a 100-year-old heritage bridge collapsed over the Machchu river in Gujarat’s Morbi city. Officials said that the bridge, which was newly reopened to the public following renovation, was packed with tourists and city residents when it collapsed at around 6.30 pm. Hundreds of people were trapped and missing as a result. Here are the key updates from Morbi:
PTI reported that as of 7.30 am on Monday, October 31, the death toll in the bridge collapse stood at 130. Eyewitnesses said there were several women and children on the British-era suspension bridge when it snapped, plunging them into the water below.
The suspension bridge was reopened for the public just four days back after seven months of repair work by a private firm, but had not received the municipality's "fitness certificate". The bridge was given to a company called Oreva for operation and maintenance for 15 years. In March this year, it was closed for the public for renovation. It reopened after renovation on the Gujarati New Year day celebrated on October 26," said Chief Officer of Morbi Municipality Sandeepsinh Zala. "It was opened to the public after the completion of the renovation work. But the local municipality had not yet issued any fitness certificate (after the renovation work)," he said.
The National Disaster Response Force on Sunday rushed three teams to Morbi following the accident. NDRF Director General (DG) Atul Karwal told PTI that the three teams have been moved from state capital Gandhinagar (two teams) and Vadodara (one team). He said each of the three teams comprises 30 rescuers and four boats and is led by senior officers, adding that Another team will be airlifted in some time and it will move via road from Rajkot to the accident site.
Officials said a Gujarat State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) team closer to Morbi was the first to reach the accident site and the NDRF was mobilised around 7.30 pm.
A five-member high power committee has been formed to probe the bridge collapse, Gujarat Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi told reporters. The committee includes Roads and Buildings department secretary Sandeep Vasava and four other senior officers.
Meanwhile, a First Information Report (FIR) was lodged in the bridge collapse under sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 308 (intentional act causing death) and 114 (abettor present when offence committed) of the Indian Penal Code, against whoever is found responsible, Sanghavi said.
The state government has announced a compensation of Rs 4 lakh to the kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured. Soon after the incident, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the next of kin of each of those who lost their lives in the mishap in Morbi. The injured would be given Rs 50,000 from this fund. Further, the Prime Minister is likely to visit Morbi on Monday, October 31.
President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar expressed grief over the bridge collapse and prayed for the safe rescue of others.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said he was deeply saddened by the bridge collapse and appealed to party workers in the state to extend every possible assistance in rescue work. Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi also said the news of the bridge collapse accident was very saddening and appealed to all Congress workers to extend all possible help to the injured. CPI leader Binoy Viswam hit out at the BJP over the bridge collapse, claiming that it points to the "gross negligence" of the state government.
Following the accident, MP Modi has cancelled his road show, scheduled to be held in Ahmedabad Monday ahead of the state Assembly polls, BJP sources said. A "page committee sammelan", scheduled to be held on Tuesday in Modi's virtual presence, has been put off, they added.