Gujarat high court raps Morbi municipality for suspension bridge collapse | Latest News India - Hindustan Times
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Gujarat high court raps Morbi municipality for suspension bridge collapse

By, Ahmedabad
Nov 17, 2022 05:28 AM IST

The high court pulled up the Morbi municipality for allowing Ajanta Manufacturing Ltd — operating under the banner of Oreva group — to open the British-era suspension bridge for public use after the authority informed the court that it did not give the approval for it.

The Gujarat high court on Wednesday asked the Morbi civic body whether 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.

Days after it was reopened following renovation, the suspension bridge on the Machchu river in Gujarat’s Morbi town collapsed on October 30, killing 135 people. (AP)
Days after it was reopened following renovation, the suspension bridge on the Machchu river in Gujarat’s Morbi town collapsed on October 30, killing 135 people. (AP)

Days after it was reopened following renovation, the suspension bridge on the Machchu river in Gujarat’s Morbi town collapsed on October 30, killing 135 people.

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A division bench headed by chief justice Aravind Kumar also pulled up the Morbi municipality for allowing Ajanta Manufacturing Ltd — operating under the banner of Oreva group — to open the bridge for public use after the authority informed the court that it did not give the approval for it.

“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,” said the bench, also comprising justice Ashutosh Shastri.

The high court further asked the civic body to disclose in an affidavit as to how the private company was permitted to keep the bridge open for the public between December 29, 2021 and March 7, 2022, despite knowing it was in a critical condition.

“The reasons for allowing the said Ajanta to use the bridge open despite there being no approval for utilisation shall also be indicated in the said affidavit,” said the bench while hearing a suo motu (on its own) PIL on the collapse of the bridge. “We also direct the present in-charge of Morbi municipality to be present on the next date of hearing physically before the court.”

In its affidavit filed on Wednesday, the Morbi municipality said that on December 29, 2021, Ajanta had informed the then chief officer of Morbi Nagarpalika that the condition of the bridge was critical and requested it to take a decision with regard to the draft agreement for the maintenance and management of the bridge which it had forwarded for approval.

“On January 19, 2022 the then chief officer of Morbi Nagarpalika informed Ajanta that its request for enhancement in entrance fees is rejected by the General Body and hence, if it is ready to carry on with the earlier rates, then further formalities of executing an agreement would be undertaken, or else, requested to return the possession of the suspension bridge to the Morbi Nagarpalika at the earliest,” the civic body said in its affidavit filed on Wednesday.

“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,” noted the court.

Advocate Devang Vyas, appearing for Morbi municipality, said the bridge was closed between March 8 and October 25, 2022, and was supposed to remain closed even thereafter.

Ajanta Manufacturing Ltd had in 2008 signed an MoU with the collector of Rajkot district (Morbi was then in Rajkot district before it was carved out), for operation, maintenance, security, management, collection of rent, etc. for a period of nine years before the term expired on August 15, 2017, the affidavit said.

“Though the period of the aforesaid MoU had expired on 15.08.2017, the suspension bridge continued to be maintained and managed by the (Ajanta) company, in absence of there being any new agreement,” it added.

When the matter was first taken up for hearing in the morning, the court said it would impose a cost of 1 lakh if Morbi Nagarpalika did not file the affidavit by 4.30 pm the same day. Its lawyer Devang Vyas filed the affidavit as directed.

On Tuesday, the high court asked the state government as to why no expression of interest (EoI) was invited for maintenance and operation of the British-era structure and how “largesse” was given to an individual without floating a tender. It also asked the state government whether any steps were taken by the local authorities to float a tender for the bridge’s operation and maintenance after the 2008 MoU expired in 2017.

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