The suspension bridge that collapsed in Gujarat’s Morbi city on Sunday was reopened five days ago for public after renovation without a fitness certificate.
At least 141 people have died after the century-old bridge on the Machchu river collapsed at 6.15 pm on Sunday.
The bridge was managed by the Morbi municipality but was given to the Oreva Group on contract for management for 15 years in March, local body chief Sandeepsinh Zala said to Indian Express. The bridge was then shut down for renovation.
Zala went on to say: “However, the private firm threw the bridge open to visitors without notifying us and therefore, we couldn’t get a safety audit of the bridge conducted. It was opened to the public after the completion of the renovation work. But the local municipality had not yet issued any fitness certificate [after the renovation].”
Meanwhile Oreva Group claimed that the bridge collapsed as too many persons in the mid-section of the bridge were trying to sway it from one way to the other.
The bridge collapsed when around 500 people had congregated on it to perform some rituals in connection with the Chhath puja.
Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi has said that a five-member committee will investigate the collapse.
“A case has been registered under charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder and intentional act causing death against whoever is found responsible,” he said.
