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Gujarat Budget: ₹550 crore for makeover of old bridges post Morbi collapse
Gujarat Budget 2023: Finance minister Kanubhai Desai also set aside ₹1,500 crore to develop five highways as high speed corridors in Gujarat.
Gujarat finance minister Kanubhai Desai has announced ₹550 crore for reconstruction and strengthening of old bridges under the ₹3.01 lakh crore Budget presented on Friday.
The focus on revamping old bridges assumes significance as the BJP-led government in Gujarat had faced massive backlash over the collapse of the century-old Morbi suspension bridge in which a reported 135 people lost their lives in October last year. The bridge broke down just five days after being reopened post the renovation work. A private company that manufactures wall clocks and e-bikes - Oreva - had carried out the renovations and the bridge was opened to the public without securing a fitness certificate from the local municipality.
The findings from the ‘Preliminary Report on Morbi Bridge Incident’ submitted by the Gujarat government-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) found several lapses in repairs, maintenance and operation of the bridge with nearly half of the wires on one cable corroded. The report was recently shared with the Morbi municipality by the state urban development department.
On Wednesday, the Gujarat High Court ordered Oreva Group to pay ₹10 lakh interim compensation to the kin of each deceased and ₹2 lakh to each injured within four weeks.
The first budget since state Assembly elections in which the BJP retained power with a thumping majority and Desai’s third successive budget is expected to focus on farmers and give a push to economic activities in agriculture, industry and services sector.
Under the outlay for infrastructure development, Desai also set aside ₹1,500 crore to develop five highways as high speed corridors and ₹150 crore for Sabarmati riverfront near GIFT City in Gandhinagar, among other announcements.
The Budget session of the Assembly began on Thursday and will go on till March 29.
