Tag: gujarat bridge collapse

Morbi Collapse: Police Grill Civic Official on How Repair Contract Went to ‘Unqualified’ Firm

The police raised questions about the contract between the Morbi municipal authority and the Oreva group, noting that the contract was entered into without any bidding process and contained no specifics on the work to be done.

New Delhi: Sandipsinh Zala, chief officer (CO) of Gujarat’s Morbi municipality where a bridge collapse on October 30 took the lives of 135 people, was questioned by the police for four hours on Wednesday, November 3.

P.A. Zala, deputy superintendent of police (DSP) and the investigating officer in the case, summoned the CO and questioned him about documentation related to the bridge and the contracts awarded for its maintenance and repairs.

Meanwhile, according to a report in the Indian Express, sources close to the investigation claimed that the father-son duo of Prakashbhai Laljibhai Parmar and Devangbhai Prakashbhai Parmar – owners of Dev Prakash Fabrication Limited, the company contracted by Oreva to conduct the repair work – failed to undertake any “scientific assessment of structural stability” of the bridge.

The collapse of a colonial-era suspension bridge on the Machchhu river in Morbi claimed the lives of 135 people on October 30. Additionally, 170 people were rescued from the river after the collapse.

The bridge had been closed for repairs in March this year after the municipal authority entered into a 15-year contract with Ajanta Manufacturing Private Limited, a company part of the Oreva Group. After remaining shut for seven months, the bridge was reopened only five days before the incident occurred.

Also read: Morbi Disaster: ‘Unqualified’ Repair Contractors in Jail But State Yet to Probe Who Chose Them

During a hearing in the court of the chief judicial magistrate, public prosecutor H.S. Panchal had said that the contractors were “not qualified” but were still employed to conduct the repair work. 

It has come to light that the two managers at Oreva who have been taken into custody – Dipak Parekh and Dinesh Dave – had reportedly been tasked with “supervising” the work of the contractors. However, Parekh handled graphic design and media management and Dave managed the company’s clock division – neither had any technical expertise in the matter.

Further, Panchal told the court that the bridge cables had not been repaired/replaced in the seven-month maintenance period. DSP Zala, too, raised the issue of the cables, claiming that the incident would “never have happened” if the cables had been repaired.

As such, the investigating officer questioned chief officer Zala on the details of the agreement with the Oreva Group company and on how the firm had been given the contract without being qualified.

What’s more, the same company had been given the contract in 2007 as well.

According to a report in NDTV, the municipal authority signed the contract with Oreva without going through the standard bidding process for government contracts.

Raising further questions of the contracts, the Express report cites DSP Zala as saying that the Rs 29 lakh contract with Oreva was only one page long and contained no specifications for the work to be done.

He added that a probe is on to determine how many employees the company has and what work they do.

Charges against the accused

Nine people were arrested in the wake of the incident and charged under Indian Penal Code (IPC) Section 304 (Culpable homicide not amounting to murder). These individuals included two managers of Oreva, Parekh and Dave; and the owners of the subcontracted company, Prakashbhai and Devangbhai Parmar, all of whom were remanded to police custody until November 5.

The other individuals arrested include a security guard and ticket booking clerks at the bridge, who were remanded to judicial custody.

Now, the police have added charges under IPC Sections 336 and 337 (both of which deal with negligent acts that can endanger the life and safety of others). According to the Express report, public prosecutor Panchal confirmed that the court has allowed these charges to be added, but charges under IPC Section 338 (causing grievous hurt by endangering the life or safety of others) are pending as “medical certificates with respect to fractures” are awaited.

(With PTI inputs)

Morbi Disaster: ‘Unqualified’ Repair Contractors in Jail But State Yet to Probe Who Chose Them

Nine people, including two managers of Oreva, the company responsible for the maintenance of the bridge, have been arrested by the police in the case so far.

New Delhi: Gujarat today (November 2) is observing state-wide mourning for the 135 people who died when a colonial-era suspension bridge on the Machchhu river collapsed in the Morbi on October 30. The bridge had been opened five days prior to the incident after remaining closed for repairs for seven months and now, the public prosecutor has told the court that the contractors tasked with the repair work were “not qualified” for the job.

There is as yet no word of the police seeking to uncover how unqualified entities and persons were given the repair contract this year, and also in 2007, when the bridge was last repaired.

On Monday, the police had booked nine people in connection with the case under Section 304 of the  IPC (Culpable homicide not amounting to murder). Thereafter, on Tuesday, four accused in the case were arrested and produced before the court of chief judicial magistrate M.J. Khan, who remanded them to police custody until Saturday, November 5.

These included two managers – Dipak Parekh and Dinesh Dave – of the OREVA group, which had been looking after the maintenance of the bridge for the last 15 years, as well as contractors Prakash Parmar and Devang Parmar who had reportedly carried out the recent repairs on the bridge.

Also read: Morbi Bridge Collapse: Xi, Putin, Biden And Other Leaders Send Condolence Messages

The bridge had remained closed for repairs for seven months and been reopened to the public only five days before the incident took place. An official quoted by PTI had said that the bridge had been opened despite not having got a “fitness certificate” from the municipality.

The bridge was reportedly packed with people when it collapsed, well beyond its carrying capacity.

During the hearing, public prosecutor H.S. Panchal told the court, citing a Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) report, that the main cable of the bridge had snapped because of the weight of the new flooring, made of “four-layer aluminium sheets”. Further, the cables of the bridge had not been replaced during the repair process.

According to a report in the Indian Express, P.A. Zala, Morbi superintendent of police (SP) had told the court, “…had the cable been repaired, this incident would not have happened”. However, Oreva manager Parekh had told the court that the unfortunate incident happened because it was the “will of god”.

Zala further said that no record was kept of what work was done or how it was done, during the repair period. “Without determining permissible capacity, and without government approval, the bridge was opened on October 26,” the Express quoted Zala as saying.

Speaking to reporters, Panchal also noted that the contractors were “not qualified” to carry out the repair work but were still given the work in 2007 and again in 2022. “So the accused’s custody was needed to find out what was the reason for choosing them and at whose instance they were chosen,” PTI quoted Panchal as saying.

Further, Gujarat’s Rajkot Bar Association has controversially passed a unanimous resolution not to represent the accused in the case, Live Law reported.

The other five individuals arrested – including a security guard and ticket booking clerks – were remanded to judicial custody by the court as the police did not seek their custody.

Flags were flown at half-mast, an official said, adding that no official or entertainment event will be held today. This decision to observe state-wide mourning was taken on Monday in a review meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The prime minister on Tuesday had also called for a “detailed and extensive” inquiry into the Morbi bridge collapse tragedy. “Key learnings from the inquiry must be implemented at the earliest and authorities must stay in touch with the affected families and ensure they receive all possible help in this tragic hour,” news agency PTI quoted him as saying.

His remarks had come during a high-level meeting attended by chief minister Bhupendra Patel, Gujarat minister of state for home Harsh Sanghavi, local MLA and minister Brijesh Merja, state chief secretary Pankaj Kumar and state director general of police Ashish Bhatia, among others.

Prior to the meeting, Prime Minister Modi had visited the site of the tragedy and went to the local hospital where the injured were recovering. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets a victim injured after an old suspension bridge over the Machchhu river collapsed on Sunday evening, at Civil Hospital in Morbi district, Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022. Photo: PTI.

Also read: Congress, AAP Express Outrage As Morbi Hospital Gets ‘Makeover’ Ahead Of PM’s Visit

According to Gujarat minister Rajendra Trivedi, 170 people were rescued after the bridge collapse and only 17 of them had to undergo treatment. The prime minister also interacted with those involved in the relief work.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets personnel involved in rescue operations after an old suspension bridge over the Machchhu river collapsed on Sunday evening, in Morbi district, Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022. Photo: PTI.

“The kin of all the deceased have already been paid a compensation of Rs 4 lakh, each as announced by the Gujarat government. A compensation of Rs 2 lakh announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be deposited soon into their bank accounts through DBT (direct bank transfer),” Trivedi told reporters in state capital Gandhinagar.

(With PTI inputs)

‘Act of Fraud?’, ‘Criminal Conspiracy,’ ‘Rare Pain’: Politicians on the Morbi Bridge Collapse

Considering that elections to the Gujarat assembly are going to be held soon – the air is already thick with campaigns – reactions to the collapse by ministers and opposition leaders have taken on new meaning.

New Delhi: As the death toll in Morbi suspension bridge collapse in Gujarat rose to 141 on Monday, the fact that the bridge had been newly renovated, yet was reportedly thrown open to the public without the requisite ‘fitness certificates’ led to opposition in Gujarat pointing fingers at government negligence.

Considering that elections to the Gujarat assembly are going to be held soon – the air is already thick with campaigns – political reactions to the collapse have taken on new meaning.

Opposition politicians, including Congress’s Digvijaya Singh, Y. Sathish Reddy of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi and Manoj Singh of the Samajwadi Party, spoke of the time when Prime Minister Narendra Modi called a 2016 flyover collapse in Kolkata an “act of fraud” and not “an act of god.”

‘Fact-finding’ rib from TMC

West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee said she was “deeply concerned” about the tragic collapse and tweeted condolences. State transport minister Snehasish Chakraborty asked if the West Bengal BJP will be sending a “fact-finding team” to Gujarat to investigate the cause of the collapse.

Chakraborty was referring to the fact-finding team sent by BJP – in the opposition in Bengal – to Jalpaiguri district where eight people had died in a flash flood in the Mal river during immersion of Durga Puja idols.

“The BJP never loses any opportunity to disturb the West Bengal government and find fault even in natural calamities. Will they explain now if any commission was shared between the ruling party leaders and the contractors while renovating the bridge that collapsed in Gujarat,” Chakraborty asked.

State BJP spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya said TMC should desist from doing “cheap politics” over a tragedy.

“The TMC cannot deflect attention about its gross misdeeds by trying to capitalise on a tragedy,” he said.

Congress

Newly anointed Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and party leader Rahul Gandhi appealed to all party workers in Gujarat to extend every possible assistance to rescue work.

“I appeal to the @INCGujarat workers to extend every possible assistance in rescue work & helping the wounded. My condolences and prayers are with the bereaved families,” Kharge tweeted.

In a tweet in Hindi, Rahul Gandhi said the news was saddening.

“I extend my deepest condolences to all the bereaved families in such difficult times. I appeal to all Congress workers to extend all possible assistance to the injured persons in the accident and also help in the search of the missing people.”

Some Congress leaders, including Singh as mentioned before, slammed the BJP over the incident. Randeep Surjewala termed it a “man-made tragedy.”

“Isn’t this a straight criminal conspiracy? How did the BJP government allow the bridge to be opened for public use without a ‘fitness certificate’,” Congress leader Surjewala asked.

Was this done in a hurry in a bid to garner votes before the model code of conduct comes into effect, he posed, adding “How was the work of repairing the bridge given to the company/trust? Do they have connections with the BJP?”

BJP

Almost all top BJP leaders across states tweeted condolences.

As rescue operations were still on, Prime Minister Modi’s office announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the families of each of those who died in the incident. Expressing sadness, Modi, in a tweet said he has spoken to Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and officials. “Relief and rescue operations are going on in full swing and all necessary assistance is being provided,” he said.

At Gujarat’s Kevadia, where he paid tributes to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his birth anniversary, Modi said on October 31, according to NDTV that he was experiencing rare pain.

“I am in Ekta Nagar, but my mind is with the victims of Morbi. Rarely, in my life, would I have experienced such pain. On one hand, there is a pain-riddled heart and on the other hand, there is the path to duty,” he said.

Trinamool Congress’s Saket Gokhale among others criticised Modi citing reports that had claimed that he was cancelling events in Gujarat today. “Modi doesn’t care about human lives. Elections and PR are important,” Gokhale said.

 

Union Home Minister Amit Shah tweeted that he has spoken to the home minister of Gujarat, Harsh Sanghvi, and other officials in this matter.

“Local administration is fully engaged in relief work, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is also reaching the spot soon. The administration has been directed to provide immediate treatment to the injured,” Shah said.

In a statement by the Uttar Pradesh Raj Bhavan, Governor Anandiben Patel, who has been the chief minister of Gujarat, expressed her condolences. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adiityanath, Deputy Chief Ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak, and former speaker Assembly Hriday Narayan Dixit also expressed grief.

Haryana BJP chief O.P. Dhankar, along with Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, and state BJP president V.D. Sharma have released tweets expressing sorrow.

AAP

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, whose Aam Aadmi Party is making an all-out effort to dislodge BJP from power in the poll-bound state, tweeted, “Very sad news coming from Gujarat. Many people are reported to have fallen into the river after a bridge collapsed in Morbi. I pray to god for everybody’s life and well-being.”

AAP MP Raghav Chadha tweeted he was “praying to God for all victims.”

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann tweeted, “Sad news is coming from Morbi, Gujarat… major accident has occurred and because of which there is news of many people falling in the river.”

Left

Communist Party of India MP Binoy Viswam claimed that the bridge collapse incident points to the “gross negligence” of the BJP government.

“Cable bridge collapse in Gujarat points to the gross negligence of the BJP government. Its repair was said to be done five days back. Where from the contractors got this courage? The compensation needs to be increased. A reliable enquiry should take place to unveil political involvement,” Viswam tweeted.

CPI(M)’s Sitaram Yechury called for accountability to be fixed.

(With PTI inputs)

Gujarat: At Least 141 Dead as ‘Recently Renovated’ Bridge Collapses in Morbi City

The suspension bridge was reopened for the public just five days ago after seven months of repair work by a private firm, but had not received the municipality’s “fitness certificate”, PTI quoted an official as saying.

New Delhi: At least 141 people are learned to have fallen into the Machchhu river and died in Gujarat’s Morbi city after a recently renovated suspension bridge collapsed on the evening of Sunday, October 30.

The suspension bridge was reopened for the public just five days ago after seven months of repair work by a private firm, but had not received the municipality’s “fitness certificate”, PTI quoted an official as saying.

Unconfirmed speculation on social media has it that almost 400 people were on the bridge. Gujarat home minister Harsh Sanghavi was quoted by Times of India as having said that 150 people were on the bridge when it collapsed, at around 6.30 pm.

“The bridge was given to Oreva company 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. An “engineering marvel” built at the turn of the 19th century, the suspension bridge was said to reflect “the progressive and scientific nature of the rulers of Morbi,” as per its description on the district collectorate website.

Sanghavi told reporters that the state government has formed a five-member committee to probe the collapse.

An 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), against whoever is found responsible, Sanghavi said.

The bridge, which is almost 100 years old, collapsed as it could not bear the weight of the people standing on it, authorities said.

“Due to the bridge collapse, several people fell into the river. A rescue operation is underway. There are reports that several people have suffered injuries. They are being rushed to hospitals,” local MLA and state minister Brijesh Merja said.

After the collapse, all that remained of the bridge was part of the metal carriageway hanging down from one end into the dark water, its thick cables snapped in places.

Some clambered up the broken structure to try to make their way to the river banks, while others swam to safety. A number of children were among the victims.

Prateek Vasava, who swam to the river bank after falling from the bridge, told 24 Hours Gujarati-language news channel that he witnessed several children drop into the river.

“I wanted to pull some of them along with me but they had drowned or got swept away,” he said.

The bridge had collapsed in just a few seconds, he said.

The 230-metre bridge was built during British rule in the 19th century.

The Prime Minister’s Office announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the next of kin of those who have died. Those injured will be given Rs 50,000.

Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has announced a compensation of Rs 4 lakh to the kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured.

Fifty navy and 30 air force personnel were called in to help along with a national disaster management team to trace missing people, the government said in a statement. A five-member team was appointed to conduct an investigation into the disaster.

Opposition party leaders alleged that the government had not conducted a thorough technical assessment and load bearing capacity before it was opened to the public.

Morbi is renowned as ceramic manufacturing centre.

The incident also comes ahead of elections in Gujarat, which are expected to be held by the year-end with the current term of the Modi’s ruling party’s term ending in February, 2023.

(With inputs from PTI and Reuters)

Note: This report, first published at 9.13 pm on October 30, 2022, was updated with details and the toll and republished at 8 am on October 31, 2022.

Four Injured After a Bridge Collapses in Gujarat

The bridge, used to connect Sasan-Gir, where a wildlife sanctuary is located, with Mendarda town of Junagadh, was built around 40 years ago near the Malanka village.

Ahmedabad: At least four people were injured when a 60-feet-long bridge collapsed in Gujarat’s Junagadh district, an official said on Monday.

Some vehicles were stuck under the debris after slabs of the bridge crashed on Sunday evening near Malanka village and traffic movement was also disrupted in the area, located around 300 km from here, Junagadh collector Saurabh Pardhi said.

The bridge, used to connect Sasan-Gir, where a wildlife sanctuary is located, with Mendarda town of Junagadh, was built around 40 years ago near the Malanka village, he said.

Also read: Why Our Bridges and Flyovers Collapse

“Four persons received minor injuries after it collapsed on Sunday evening,” he said.

Because of the bridge collapse, vehicular movement on the road connecting Sasan-Gir to Mendarda was disrupted.

“An alternate route has been opened for commuters,” the collector said.

Two cars and three two-wheelers were stuck under the crashed slabs, he said, adding that the vehicles were later pulled out of the debris.