Morbi bridge collapse: Contractor unqualified, prosecution tells court
In the Morbi bridge collapse case in Gujarat which killed 135 people, nine accused were presented before a court on Tuesday. The prosecution said that the contract company lacked the expertise required to carry out the repair work. Following which, four accused were sent to police custody and the other five to judicial custody. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the victims on Tuesday.
Why does this story matter?
The 140-year-old colonial-era cable suspension bridge over Machchhu river in Morbi collapsed on Sunday evening when 400 people were standing on it. Notably, the bridge was reopened five days before the collapse after being closed for six months for renovation. The bridge owned by the Morbi municipality was contracted to Oreva Group, a clock and e-bike manufacturer, for maintenance and operation for 15 years.
Floor replaced making bridge heavy, rusted cables left unchanged
The prosecution told the court that the floor of the bridge was replaced with four-layered aluminum sheets, which increased the overall weight of the bridge. The cables, however, were not replaced despite being rusted. The investigating officer of the case, Morbi Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) PA Zala, told the court that if the cables had been replaced, the tragedy could have been avoided.
Ticket sales clerks, security guards among accused
Public prosecutor HS Panchal said apart from two supervisors of Oreva Group and two subcontractors, who repaired the bridge, the accused included security guards and ticket sales clerks. The accused supervisors and subcontractors — namely Dipak Parekh, Dinesh Dave, Prakash Parmar, and Devang Parmar were sent to police custody until Saturday. Before this year, the company was allotted the repair work in 2007 also.
Subcontractor had said bridge safe for 25 years
Oreva Group undertook the renovation as its corporate social responsibility. Jindal Group, which carried out the renovation work on behalf of Oreva Group, had said the bridge has a carrying capacity of 100 people and was safe for operation for the next 25 years.
Intensive inquiry needed: PM Modi
Presiding over a high-level meeting, PM Modi stressed an intensive inquiry to identify all aspects of the case. As the elections in Gujarat are nearing, the Opposition is trying to drive the incumbent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to a corner with a salvo of accusations. Congress veteran P Chidambaram tweeted asking why weren't municipal officials and the contract company owners named in the FIR.
Why authorities not named in FIR, asked Chidambaram
Morbi gets facelift ahead of PM's visit
Images of the facelift of the Morbi civil hospital, where those injured in the bridge collapse were admitted, surfaced ahead of PM Modi's visit to meet the victims of the tragedy. The Opposition targeted the BJP saying that the renovation was done to ensure nice pictures of the PM. Fresh tarmac roads came up fenced with a white cloth to "hide" underdevelopment, they said.
