A video going viral on social media shows a few people shaking the bridge as if trying to snap the cables. It is claimed that this act was a major trigger for the cracking of the bridge.
Over 130 people lost their lives after a nearly century-old suspension bridge on the Machchhu river in Gujarat’s Morbi city collapsed on Sunday evening. State Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi said the rescue operation is under full swing while 2 more people are reported missing. Around 177 people have been rescued while 19 people are under treatment.
According to media reports, around 400 to 500 people were present on the Morbi bridge to celebrate Chhath puja. It has been speculated that the bridge had collapsed due to overcrowding and overloading, as per experts.
The suspension bridge in Gujarat’s Morbi had been shut down for repairs and renovations and was opened recently. Media reports said that proper fitness checks were not done and no government authorization was taken before reopening the bridge by the public.
The officials privy to the developments of the past few months concerning the reconstruction work of the suspension bridge and its subsequent reopening on October 26 say that the renovation work was carried out by Oreva, a private trust after getting the government’s tender and the bridge was shut for seven months.
It is alleged that the company did not take a fitness certificate from the authorities before opening the bridge, said Morbi municipal agency chief Sandipsinh Zala.
“It was a government tender. Oreva group was supposed to give its renovation details and get a quality check before opening the bridge. But it did not do so. The government was not aware of this,” said Zala.
A video going viral on social media shows a few people shaking the bridge as if trying to snap the cables. It is claimed that this act was a major trigger for the cracking of the bridge. Though the video has been said to be an old one by a few fact-checkers. It is still uncertain.
Further, people who were present at the site of the accident said that there were several youths who were intentionally shaking and swinging the bridge, and hours later, it collapsed. People are also blaming government negligence and lack of proper arrangements for Chhath puja, which ultimately led to hundreds of people thronging the bridge.
