Morbi bridge collapse LIVE: PM takes stock of Morbi tragedy, says 'need of the hour' to identify all aspects of mishap
Gujarat cable bridge collapse highlights, November 1, 2022: Nine people, including two managers of Oreva firm that has been maintaining the bridge for 15 years and was responsible for the renovation it underwent recently, have been arrested so far.
More than 130 people were killed and many are still feared missing after a 143-year-old cable suspension bridge in Gujarat's Morbi district collapsed on Sunday evening. The bridge, which underwent a six-month-long renovation and was reopened for public on October 26, was carrying 400-500 people at the time of the accident - thrice its capacity. Multiple teams of the SDRF, NDRF, Army and IAF, among others, have been deployed to carry out search and rescue operation in the Machchuu river over which the bridge suspended. ...Read More
Now, new details have emerged that have put Gujarat-based electrical appliances manufacturing firm Oreva at the centre of everything. The company has been maintaining the bridge for 15 years, and was responsible for the repair work and renovation of it. Nine people, including two managers of Oreva, have been arrested so far over the accident. Morbi chief security officer Sandeep Singh Jhala said that Oreva was probably not issued a fitness certificate to reopen the bridge. “They did not give us any information that they were reopening the bridge,” he was quoted as saying by Reuters. Besides, ticketing clerks, security guards and contractors have been held. Eyewitnesses and survivors said that people were simply entering the bridge, with no one stopping them, despite the requirement of tickets. Overcrowding and negligence have come out to be the primary areas of focus in the tragedy.
Gujarat government has formed a five-member committee to look into the matter and find out the lapses in the repair work and renovation of the bridge. Experts from Gandhinagar Forensic Lab has taken samples of the material used for the renovation, and they are expected to submit a report to the committee in a few days.
Follow all the updates here:
- Nov 01, 2022 09:54 pm IST
Inhuman: CPIM on Morbi hospital spruce-up ahead of PM's visit
When the hospital should have focused on medical care for those injured in the incident, it is getting spruced up for the PM's visit. The attention that is supposed to be paid to the patients has been diverted. It is very unfortunate and inhuman," Yechury told reporters on the sidelines of the three-day Central Committee meeting of the CPI(M).
- Nov 01, 2022 09:22 pm IST
Singapore PM expresses condolences over lives lost in Morbi bridge collapse
"I was saddened to learn about the collapse of the Morbi Bridge in Gujarat and the tragic loss of lives. On behalf of the Government of Singapore, I wish to extend my heartfelt condolences and sympathies to the families of the victims," the Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs said putting out a letter written by PM Lee to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
- Nov 01, 2022 08:16 pm IST
Gujarat polls delayed as PM Modi has to inaugurate more bridges: Cong prez
Gujarat polls delayed as PM Modi has to inaugurate more bridges like the one that fell in Morbi: Congress President Kharge
- Nov 01, 2022 05:47 pm IST
PM takes stock of Morbi tragedy
PM takes stock of Morbi tragedy, says 'need of the hour' to identify all aspects of mishap.
- Nov 01, 2022 05:39 pm IST
PM Modi chairs high-level meeting in Morbi
PM Modi chairs high-level meeting in Morbi to review situation after bridge collapse tragedy.
- Nov 01, 2022 04:32 pm IST
PM Modi visits Morbi bridge collapse site
- Nov 01, 2022 04:31 pm IST
PM Modi meets those involved in rescue and relief ops
PM met those who were involved in rescue and relief ops when they mishap struck in Morbi. - Nov 01, 2022 04:26 pm IST
TMC criticises Modi over Gujarat bridge collapse
"When a flyover had collapsed in Kolkata during the 2016 assembly polls, the prime minister while campaigning for his party had blamed corruption as the main reason for it. Now let him say the same thing about the incident in Gujarat," TMC state general secretary Kunal Ghosh said.
- Nov 01, 2022 04:16 pm IST
PM Modi approaches the incident site in Morbi
Source: ANI Prime Minister Narendra Modi approaches the incident site in Morbi, Gujarat, while the search and rescue operation is underway in the Machchhu river.
- Nov 01, 2022 03:42 pm IST
Morbi bridge collapse not an accident but murder by BJP's corrupt rule: AAP
“This is not an accident. This is the killing of people by the BJP's corruption,” AAP leader Manish Sisodia told a press conference at the AAP headquarters.
- Nov 01, 2022 03:06 pm IST
China's Xi sends condolences over deadly bridge collapse
China's President Xi Jinping sent a message of condolence to President Droupadi Murmu & PM Narendra Modi over Morbi Bridge Collapse, Reuters reported citing Chinese broadcaster CCTV.
- Nov 01, 2022 02:28 pm IST
PM Modi to visit bridge collapse site as families mourn
Gujarat is PM Modi's home state and he was already visiting it at the time of the accident. He said he was “deeply saddened by the tragedy” and his office announced compensation for families of the dead.
- Nov 01, 2022 01:51 pm IST
Egypt joins string of nations to condole Morbi tragedy
Egypt joined a string of countries that have sent condolences India's way following the deadly accident in Morbi. In a statement issued by Egypt's ministry of foreign affairs, the country condoled the loss of lives and also expressed sympathy to the “friendly country of India and to the families of the victims”. It also wished for a speedy recovery of the injured.
- Nov 01, 2022 01:27 pm IST
Oreva Farms locked in aftermath of Morbi bridge collapse
Ahmedabad-based electrical appliances maker Oreva Farms has been locked in the aftermath of Morbi tragedy. The firm was responsible for the maintenance and the recent renovation of the now-collapsed bridge.
- Nov 01, 2022 12:28 pm IST
Kejriwal blames BJP-ruled Guj govt's ‘corruption’ behind Morbi mishap
Delhi CM and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal expresses grief over the loss of lives in Morbi. In the same breath, he also lashed out at the BJP-ruled Gujarat government, saying the mishap is a result of a “big corruption”. Kejriwal added that how can a clock manufacturing firm - Oreva, which never had any experience in handling cable suspension bridges, be given the responsibility of the same. “The company was not given a tender as well…how is this possible?” the CM asked.
- Nov 01, 2022 10:54 am IST
SC to hear on Nov 14 plea demanding court-monitored probe into mishap
Supreme Court agrees to hear on November 14 a PIL demanding a court-monitored judicial inquiry into the Morbi bridge collapse incident. Read more.
- Nov 01, 2022 09:17 am IST
Death toll rises to 135 after one more person succumbs at hospital
One more person succumbed to injuries on Tuesday morning at the Morbi district hospital, thereby taking the death toll in the bridge collapse incident to 135. District collector told ANI that as many as 14 persons remain hospitalised, and one person is still reported to be missing, with search underway for him.
- Nov 01, 2022 09:05 am IST
Search and rescue ops resume
Rescue teams of NDRF, Indian Coast Guard and Navy, among others, have resumed the relief work in Morbi. Visuals shared by news agency ANI showed Coast Guard personnel riding on boats before a diver from their team jumps into the Machchuu river to look for trapped individuals and bodies.
- Nov 01, 2022 08:03 am IST
PM Modi to visit Morbi today
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is currently in his home state of Gujarat, will visit Morbi to take stock of the situation, in the afternoon.