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‘An enormous tragedy’: Supreme Court on Gujarat bridge collapse
Morbi tragedy: The bridge collapse had killed 141 people.
The Supreme Court on Monday called the Morbi bridge collapse in Gujarat an "enormous tragedy". 141 people - including over 40 children - were killed in the incident, which turned out to be one of the worst disasters in the country recently. The top court has also requested the Gujarat High Court to take up the matter suo motu on a periodical basis to ensure all aspects of a proper probe, fixing accountability and adequate damages for the victims are duly addressed.
The top court has also asked the petitioners - who brought up the matter - to approach the high court since the case has already been initiated there after the HC took note of the accident. The suspension bridge - on the Machchu river - had collapsed on October 30, just days after it had reopened following renovation.
Last week, the Gujarat High Court had asked the civic body in Morbi if the agreement - to allow a private company to maintain and operate the British-era suspension bridge - was approved by the authority and whether it gave permission to the firm to open the bridge for public use. The Oreva Group - better known as the makers of Ajanta clock - was tasked with the maintenance of the bridge. “We hereby direct the Morbi Nagarpalika (municipality) to place on record the copy of the approval granted by its general board, if any, approving the agreement dated March 8, 2022,” the bench - which comprised justice Ashutosh Shastri - had said, HT had reported.
Amid the matter being heard in the court, the civic body - in an affidavit - had said that on December 29, 2021, Ajanta had informed the then chief officer of Morbi Nagarpalika that the condition of the bridge was critical. It had also requested the civic body to take a decision with regard to the draft agreement for the maintenance and management of the bridge which it had forwarded for approval. “Even after communication dated December 29, 2021 intimating thereunder the subject bridge is critical, yet it seems to have been allowed to be utilised or used or permitted the public at large to use the said bridge till March 7, 2022,” the court had said in return.
