Morbi Bridge Collapse in Gujarat News Highlights, November 02, 2022: Gujarat will observe a state-wide mourning on Wednesday in the wake of the Morbi bridge collapse that claimed the lives of 135 lives. Flags were flown at half-mast, an official told news agency PTI, adding that no official or entertainment event will be held on Wednesday. The decision was taken by a high-level meeting chaired by PM Narendra Modi held at Raj Bhavan in Gandhinagar.
Meanwhile, Morbi Deputy Superintendent of Police P A Zala, the officer investigating Sunday’s bridge collapse case in which 135 people died, told a local court Tuesday that the cable of the suspension bridge (Jhoolta Pul) was “rusted” and “had the cable been repaired, this incident would not have happened”. The prosecution told the magistrate court that the contractors who carried out repairs of the suspension bridge at Morbi were not qualified to carry out such jobs. Chief Judicial Magistrate M J Khan remanded four of the arrested accused — two managers of the OREVA Group and two sub-contractors who had repaired the bridge — in police custody till Saturday. The death toll of the tragedy climbed to 135 on Tuesday.
In other news, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday visited the bridge collapse site in Morbi to take stock of the situation. Modi said a “detailed and extensive” inquiry to identify all aspects of the Morbi bridge collapse tragedy is the need of the hour, as he chaired a high-level meeting here to review the situation. Modi, who also met the injured at Morbi Civil Hospital, asserted that key learnings from the inquiry must be implemented as soon as possible.
Caretakers of crematoriums and graveyards in Morbi town of Gujarat said they never saw a huge influx of bodies in a short span of time in decades, which they witnessed in the aftermath of the bridge collapse tragedy that claimed 135 lives.
The British-era suspension bridge on the Machchhu river in the town caved in on Sunday evening, plunging people into the water below.
Sajid Piludia of Morbi’s biggest graveyard for Sunni Muslims said nearly 40 members of the Muslim community lost their lives in the incident.
“Of them, 25 were buried here and another one at a nearby graveyard on Monday. This was the biggest tragedy after the 1979 Machchhu dam breach incident,” he said.
It all happened due to the negligence of the administration, a visibly upset Piludia said.
Yusuf Samada and Yunus Shaikh, working as grave diggers at that graveyard, said they dug 14 out of the 25 graves from Sunday night till Monday evening to meet the sudden influx of bodies.
“This was very unusual for us because we usually dig nearly 20 graves a month,” he said. –PTI
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday expressed her condolences to those who died after a suspension bridge collapsed, a few days earlier. “I won’t comment on it as people’s life is important than politics. I express my condolences. Many have died & many are still missing. A judicial commission should be made under SC to probe the Morbi incident,” she said.
Mamata also questioned why the CBI, ED, and other agencies were not taking action against those responsible for the collapse. (ANI)
The Morbi Bar Association on Wednesday said its members won’t represent the accused in the suspension bridge collapse that claimed 135 lives. Members of the association on Wednesday held a protest march, a day after passing a resolution to not fight cases for the accused in the bridge collapse tragedy.
“Morbi Bar Association and Rajkot Bar Association have decided to not take their case and represent them. Both the bar associations have passed this resolution,” senior advocate A C Prajapati said. “All the lawyers of the association are deeply saddened by the tragedy. This is a moral call. We won’t represent any accused in the bridge collapse case after the death of so many innocent people,” another lawyer said. (PTI)
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel today joined a payer meeting organised to pay tributed the Morbi bridge collapse victims.
મોરબી દુર્ઘટનાના દિવંગતોના આત્માની શાંતિ તેમજ તેમના પરિવારજનોને ઈશ્વર આ આઘાત સહન કરવાની શક્તિ આપે તે માટે અમદાવાદ ખાતે આયોજિત શાંતિ પ્રાર્થનામાં જોડાઈને મૃતકોને ભાવભીની શ્રદ્ધાંજલિ પાઠવી. દુઃખની આ ઘડીમાં સમગ્ર ગુજરાત મૃતકોના પરિવારજનોની પડખે છે. #Gujarat_with_Morbi pic.twitter.com/DLyW8V7sXe
#WATCH
#Gujarat | Lawyers take out silent march from Morbi court to the Darbar Gadh, the western end of Jhulo Pul suspension bridge to pay tributes to the victims of #MorbiBridgeCollapse on Wednesday.
📹 Bhupendra Rana pic.twitter.com/jHSyq2uWhp
The powerful Congressional India Caucus has expressed its deepest condolences to the people of India in the wake of the Morbi bridge collapse that took the lives of at least 135 people.
Morbi bridge, a century-old suspension bridge on the Machchhu river in Gujarat’s Morbi city, collapsed on Sunday evening, killing 135 people.
“The Congressional India Caucus and the United States stand with our ally India in the wake of this tragedy. As Co-Chairs of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian-Americans, we relay our deepest condolences in the wake of the devastating Morbi bridge collapse that has taken the lives of at least 135 people,” Congressman Brad Sherman and Congressman Steve Chabot, Co-Chairs of the Caucus on India and Indian-Americans said in a statement on Tuesday. (PTI)
The Bar Associations of Morbi and Rajokot today passes a resolution to not represent the accused in the bridge collapse case that claimed the lives of 135.
“Nine accused (of Oreva co.) in Morbi collapse have been arrested. Morbi Bar Association & Rajkot Bar Association have decided to not take their case and represent them. Both the Bar Associations have passed this Resolution,” Senior aadvocate AC Prajapati of Morbi Bar Assciation told ANI.
Gujarat | Nine accused (of Oreva co.) in #MorbiBridgeCollapse have been arrested. Morbi Bar Association & Rajkot Bar Association have decided to not take their case and represent them. Both the Bar Associations have passed this Resolution: AC Prajapati, sr adv, Morbi Bar Assn pic.twitter.com/CzZzy3OyAo
“What am I supposed to do with the money when my family has been wiped out?,” asks Hemantbhai Parmar, 60, his voice hoarse with grief. On Tuesday morning, officials of the district administration visited his house in Nana Khijadiya village, close to 30 km from Morbi town, and handed over a cheque of Rs 16 lakh — Parmar had lost his youngest son Gautambhai (27), daughter-in-law Chandrikaben and his two grandsons aged nine and five.
The previous night, in the Vajepar area of the town, the families of neighbours Asifbhai Makwana, 35, and Prabhubhai Ghogha, 55, got the compensation cheques. Three of Makwana’s family members, including his seven-year-old-son Arshad, and Ghogha’s 19-year old daughter Priyanka had died in the Morbi bridge collapse. Sohini Ghosh and Gopal B Kateshiya report
Gujarat is observing state-wide mourning on Wednesday to pay homage to the victims of the Morbi bridge collapse tragedy.
Flags were flown at half-mast, an official said, adding that no official or entertainment event will be held on Wednesday. (PTI)
Morbi Deputy Superintendent of Police P A Zala, the officer investigating Sunday’s bridge collapse case in which 135 people died, told a local court Tuesday that the cable of the suspension bridge (Jhoolta Pul) was “rusted” and “had the cable been repaired, this incident would not have happened”.
Deepak Parekh, one of the managers of the Oreva company responsible for maintenance of the bridge and among nine arrested in the wake of the incident, told the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate and Additional Senior Civil Judge M J Khan that “it was the will of God (Bhagwan ni ichcha) that such an unfortunate event happened”.
Sohini Ghosh reports
With search operation in Machchhu river still underway, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday visited the bridge collapse site in Morbi to take stock of the situation. Modi said a “detailed and extensive” inquiry to identify all aspects of the Morbi bridge collapse tragedy is the need of the hour, as he chaired a high-level meeting here to review the situation. Modi, who also met the injured at Morbi Civil Hospital, asserted that key learnings from the inquiry must be implemented as soon as possible.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet 26 family members of the victims who lost their lives in the Morbi tragedy.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi reaches the SP office in Morbi after visiting the incident site of bridge collapse & meeting the injured at Morbi Civil Hospital.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi reaches the SP office in Gujarat’s #Morbi after visiting the incident site of bridge collapse & meeting the injured at Morbi Civil Hospital. pic.twitter.com/UrVKQYu1Ga
PM Modi also met the persons carrying out the rescue and relief operations after the cable bridge collapse mishap in Morbi.
PM Modi today met persons who were involved in rescue and relief operations when the cable bridge collapse mishap struck Morbi. pic.twitter.com/O0Oy8NBscP
With search operation in Machchhu river still underway, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday visited the bridge collapse site in Morbi to take stock of the situation. Modi was accompanied by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel. 
NCP leader Reshma Patel, who protested before PM’s visit to Morbi bridge collapse site, detained.
The Supreme Court Tuesday listed for November 14 a PIL (Public Interest Litigation) seeking a judicial probe into the recent collapse of the suspension bridge over the Machchhu river in Morbi, Gujarat that resulted in the death of more than 130 persons.
Advocate Vishal Tiwari who filed the plea was mentioned before a bench presided by Chief Justice UU Lalit.
Responding to a query from the bench, the petitioner said he was primarily seeking a probe by a retired judge into the matter. He added that there are similar old bridges and monuments in different parts of the country and sought directions to the state governments to form committees to survey and conduct a risk assessment of these structures. Read more
The Gujarat government started distributing Rs 4 lakh ex gratia among the next of kin of each of the victims in Morbi bridge collapse on Monday and officials said the process had been completed by Tuesday noon. “Kin of each of the 135 victims have been handed over cheques worth Rs 4 lakh each towards compensation. In all, we have handed over relief cumulatively worth Rs 5.40 crore,” H R Sanchla, the mamlatdar in charge of the control room, said.
The state government had announced Rs 4 lakh ex gratia to the next of kin on the day of the incident itself. The government had also announced Rs 50,000 ex-gratia compensation to those injured in the incident while providing them free medical treatment. The central government too announced Rs 2 lakh compensation to the next of kin of those killed and Rs 50,000 to each one injured in the incident.
Referring to the bridge collapse in Gujarat’s Morbi that killed 134 people, Trinamool Congress spokesperson Kunal Ghosh on Monday claimed that the western state has suffered “the consequences of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s series of sins”, triggering a war of words between the state’s ruling party and the Opposition.
Reacting sharply to this, BJP state president Sukanta Majumder said, “A probe has been initiated into the bridge collapse. But a flyover fell like cards in Bengal’s Magherhat and there was a farce in the name of inquiry.” Read more
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday said the Morbi bridge collapse in Gujarat, which has claimed 135 lives so far, was a result of “massive corruption”.
“The Morbi bridge collapse was a result of massive corruption and I pray for the victims. Why was a watchmaking company which had no experience of bridge construction allowed to do so?” he said during a press conference.
Rescuers search for survivors after a suspension bridge collapsed in Morbi, Gujarat. (Reuters)
Morbi was left counting its dead on Monday, a day after the suspension bridge over the Machchhu river collapsed, sending many, including children, plunging into the water below. The toll climbed to 134 by evening, including 40 women and 34 children. While rescue operations are still on, officials said at least two persons have been reported missing. Of those injured, 73 have been discharged, while 17 are still undergoing treatment.
The 135-year-old suspension bridge (Jhoolto Pul) collapsed on Sunday evening, four days after it was reopened, after being closed for over seven months for repair and renovation work.
Police have registered an FIR against the “agencies responsible for maintenance and management” of the bridge “along with others whose names may emerge during the course of the investigation” under IPC Sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide).
Also read:
Gopal B Kateshiya … read more
Sohini GhoshSohini is a senior correspondent based in Gujarat, primarily covering … read more
Rashi MishraRashi is a trainee journalist with The Indian Express' Ahmedabad burea… read more