Gujarat Police arrest 9 people Morbi hanging bridge collapse case: Report
On Sunday, tickets were sold for Rs 12 to Rs 17, allegedly to nearly 500 people, which resulted in overcrowding on the "hanging bridge". This reportedly caused the old metal cables to give way.
FollowA day after over 140 people lost their lives in a bridge collapse at Gujarat's Morbi, the state police made its first arrest in the case. According to reports, two officials of Oreva, the company that renovated the bridge, were arrested.
It is reported that nine poeple are mid-level employees of Oreva, which has been accused of violating multiple safety rules, leading to the huge tragedy. However, the company's senior officials have been missing since the tragic incident took place on Sunday evening.
Also read:Â Morbi suspension bridge collapse: 12 questions that need to be answered
It is alleged that Oreva outsourced the "technical aspect of the bridge renovation" to a smaller company with an unknown record, Devprakash Solutions.Â
According to police sources, Oreva reopened the bridge before schedule, without taking a fitness certificate from the civic body.
The company was hired for repair work on the historic colonial-era bridge in March. The bridge was reopened to the public seven months later, on October 26, when the Gujarati New Year was celebrated.
Also read:Â Morbi bridge collapse: 5 similar tragedies that took place in last 10 years across the country
The company was bound by its contract to keep the bridge shut for at least eight to 12 months for maintenance and repairs.
The 15-year contract signed between the Morbi municipal body and Ajanta Manufacturing Private Limited, which is a part of the Oreva group, allowed the company to raise the ticket prices every year till 2037.
On Sunday, tickets were sold for Rs 12 to Rs 17, allegedly to nearly 500 people, which resulted in overcrowding on the "hanging bridge". This reportedly caused the old metal cables to give way.
While reopening the bridge last week, Oreva Managing Director Jaysukhbhai Patel had told reporters that the company had completed "100 per cent renovation with two crores".
Also read:Â 'Youths shook overcrowded bridge intentionally...': Survivors recall moments before Morbi bridge collapse
He also explained why the company would sell tickets for the bridge. "We've just opened the bridge for the public so we cannot keep the entry free of charge, and we also don't want to overwhelm the sturdiness of the bridge, so to limit the amount of entry and the crowd, we will charge for an entry," Patel had said.
He also claimed that the renovated bridge would sustain for "eight to 10 years". The company also said it is considering requests to open the bridge at night for two hours.
