Ahmedabad, Nov 7 (LAB), The Gujarat High Court today, took Suo Motu cognisance of the Morbi Bridge collapse tragedy which occurred on October 30, 2022.
The Morbi bridge which is a 141-year-old suspension bridge on the Machchuu river in Morbi, Gujarat collapsed on October 30, leaving about 135 people dead and many injured.
A private firm named the Oreva Group had maintained and repaired the bridge which collapsed, taking the death toll to a high number.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Aravind Kumar and Justice Ashutosh J Shastri noted that it was very disheartening to see the untimely death of hundreds of people.
The Court while addressing the Advocate General asked him to submit the steps taken by the State government so far.
The Court instructed the state, through its Chief Secretary, Morbi Municipal Corporation head, Urban Development Department (UDD), State Home Department and State Human Rights Commission to be impleaded as parties.
The court asked for a detailed report from the State within the next 10 days and posted the matter for further hearing on November 14, 2022.
Court also instructed the State Human Rights Commission to file a separate report of the incident with details on the people suffering
Chief Justice Aravind Kumar said that he had given telephonic instructions to the Registrar of the High Court on October 31, 2022, to get an article published in the newspaper (Times of India ) about the PIL that was filed but could not be heard due to the Diwali vacation.
A pedestrian suspension bridge over the Machchhu River in the city of Morbi in Gujarat, India, collapsed on October 30, 22, causing the deaths of at least 135 people and injuries to more than 180 others.
The 19th-century bridge had reopened five days earlier, in time for Diwali and the Gujarati New Year, following a lengthy closure for repairs. /LAB/SNG/