'Untrained Staff, No Security Equipment': Preliminary Probe in Morbi Tragedy

Police told The Quint that the bridge was reopened for public just two days after repair work was completed.

More than 140 people died in the collapse on Sunday, 30 October, five days after the bridge was reopened on the Gujarati New Year day. 

(Photo: Namita Chauhan/The Quint)

Security guards and ticket sellers arrested by the police in connection with the Morbi bridge collapse revealed that they weren't trained to handle crowds, officer investigating the Morbi bridge collapse, PA Zala, Deputy Superintendent of Morbi Police, claimed while speaking to The Quint on Wednesday, 2 November.

"They said that they weren't informed about how many people can be allowed on the bridge at any given point of time. There were no security equipment at the spot, including life saving guards, life boats, and life jackets," Zala claimed.

More than 140 people died in the collapse on Sunday, 30 October, five days after the bridge was reopened on the Gujarati New Year day. 

While securing a 10-day remand of four out of the nine accused in the court, DSP Zala claimed in a conversation with The Quint that the suspension cables of the Jhoolta Pul which came crashing down, were not inspected, oiled, or greased. 

"We've secured 10-day judicial remand of two Oreva managers and two fabricators associated with the repair and maintenance work of the bridge," he told The Quint citing the FSL (Forensic Science Laboratory) report submitted by the Police in the court.

Who Did Oreva Outsource the Repair Work of the Bridge To?

The Quint has learnt that Ahmedabad-based Oreva Group first secured a tender for the maintenance of the bridge in 2003. 

In 2007, the company outsourced maintenance work of the bridge to a Surendranagar-based firm called Vishwakarma Solutions owned by Prakash Parmar, one of the nine people arrested by the Morbi Police on 31 October. 

In March 2022, the repair work was again outsourced to a firm called Devprakash Solutions, owned by Prakash Parmar's son Devang Parmar. Devang was also among the nine accused arrested on Monday. 

"So far our investigation has revealed that the firms, Vishwakarma Solutions and Devprakash Solution, tasked with repair work by Oreva were not qualified to perform the task," DSP Zala said.

'Act of God': Accused Defend Themselves in the Court

In oral submission in the court on Tuesday, 1 November, lawyer of the accused argued that the bridge collapse was an 'Act of God,' public prosecutor HS Panchal told The Quint.

"They said in the court that the tragedy was an act of God and that there was no negligence on their part," he said. 

DSP Zala revealed that the repair and maintenance work on the Morbi suspension bridge was completed only on 24 October, two days before it was reopened for public. 

"Primary investigation has revealed that they (Oreva Group) opened the bridge for public only two days after the repair and maintenance work was completed," Zala said. 

On the Role of Municipal Corporation 

Hours after the tragedy struck on Sunday, the Morbi municipal corporation alleged that they were not aware of the bridge being open for public and that the Oreva Group did not procure a fitness certificate before reopening the bridge. 

On 31 October, Sandipsinh Zala, the Chief Municipal Officer in a conversation with The Quint admitted that he knew 24 hours before the tragedy that the bridge was functional. 

When asked about the police investigating the lapses on the part of the municipal corporation, DSP Zala said, "It is too soon to reveal anything about the role of the Municipality. They gave full control of the bridge to a private company and the company flouted the norms."