Morbi bridge collapse: FIR alleges lapses in repair work, maintenance and mismanagement

Morbi: The police complaint lodged in connection with the Morbi Cable bridge on the Machhu river which collapsed on Sunday evening alleges lapses in repair work, maintenance and mismanagement or other technical reasons, the Gujarat Police have said. The century-old bridge collapsed on Sunday evening, killing over 130 people. In the FIR, the police have not identified any accused, but have lodged a complaint against the hanging bridge repair agency, its management, and anyone whose name is disclosed during the course of the investigation.

The Morbi B Division Police Inspector PA  Dekavadiya in the FIR has stated that the bridge collapsed around 6.30 PM and by the time a complaint was lodged at 8.15 PM, 50 persons were killed and 150 persons had suffered minor or major injuries.

The officer alleged in the FIR that the repair agency, and agency management without carrying out quality checks or feasibility or load-bearing test had opened the bridge for the visitors. "It is an act of negligence because visitors have died. It seems that the act was committed knowingly. The accused have committed the offence under the IPC section for culpable homicide, an act that can cause death and abettor," said the police. The case will be investigated by Deputy Superintendent of Police PA Zala.

According to police department sources, police have picked up three persons for questioning in this connection so far. The tragedy took place on Sunday evening when about 400 people were on the suspension bridge on the Machhu river. A criminal complaint against the cable bridge contractor and manager has been lodged while the police have started a probe into the incident.

Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel has set up a five-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by an IAS officer to inquire into the suspension bridge collapse in Morbi town, which left over 100 dead. The SIT will be headed by Commissioner of Municipalities Rajkumar Beniwal, and the other members are the Secretary, Roads and Building Department, Sandeep Vasava, Inspector General of Police Subhash Trivedi, and two engineers specialised in structural and quality control.

The state government has deployed four NDRF teams, as well as defence personnel in search and rescue operations, and even summoned swimmers and divers from surrounding districts. According to locals, the bridge contractor was charging Rs 12 and 17 from visitors.

The suspension bridge on the Machchhu river in Gujarat's Morbi that collapsed on Sunday evening killing several people was reopened for the public just four days back after seven months of repair work by a private firm, but had not received the municipality's "fitness certificate", an official said told PTI. The more than a century-old bridge in Morbi city caved in around 6.30 pm when it was crammed with people.