- Geeta Pandey
- BBC correspondent in Morby
image source,BBC / Geeta Pandey
The Morby Suspension Bridge after the collapse on Sunday.
Questions continue to be asked after the collapse of a popular boardwalk in the western state of Gujarat in western India, which sent large numbers of tourists into the river.
The tragic accident in the small town of Morby on Sunday night (October 30) was one of India’s worst tragedies in years, killing 135 people, most of them women, children and the elderly.
At the time of the accident, the 135-year-old suspension bridge was only reopened five days after repairs – what went wrong?
The BBC interviewed survivors, first responders, local reporters and officials to try to piece together the full picture of the avoidable tragedy.
Local residents and journalists blamed the company operating the suspension bridge in the incident, and the police and local authorities were also blamed.
minutes before the disaster
Mahesh Chavda and two of his friends bought tickets and climbed the rickety Morby Suspension Bridge just after 6:30 pm on Sunday evening.
Described on the government tourism website as a “technological marvel” and popular with tourists, it was one of Mahesh’s favorite places to visit as a child.
image source,BBC / Geeta Pandey
This drawbridge was built during the British rule of India in the late 19th century.
The 230-meter (754-foot) suspension bridge spans the Machchu River and connects Darbargarh Palace and Lakhdhirji Engineering College. The exact date of its construction varies, but locals say it was built in 1880 by the local maharaja, Waghji Thakore.
“I used to come with my parents and for the past few years I have been there every Sunday with my friends,” Mahesh said.
He said he was “excited” after hearing about the suspension bridge reopening last week, and then the 18-year-old and his friends decided to continue their Sunday night routine.
Mahesh, sitting on a hospital bed with a plastic collar around his neck, told me that as they approached the suspension bridge, they could see too many people on the bridge.
image source,EPA
Rescue boats are still searching for missing persons near the crash site.
“So we wanted to wait, but the ticket inspector said we had to move on. The moment we got on, the bridge collapsed,” he said.
The section of the bridge where Mahesh and his friends were standing overturned and they were thrown into the river 15 meters below.
The three teenagers were injured but survived.
But more than a hundred other people don’t. The disaster devastated many families, many of which killed multiple members on this evening trip across the bridge.
Accusations on the condition of the bridge
Many now wonder how a tragedy of this magnitude could have happened and why was the accident not averted?
The bridge was reopened to the public last Wednesday to coincide with the Gujarati New Year.
The day before, Jaysukh Bhai Patel, owner of the Oreva group, who had been in charge of maintaining and operating the bridge since 2008, told a press conference that the restoration work cost Rs 20 million ($ 242,000; £ 211,200). .
“The bridge will be fine for the next 8-10 years. If used responsibly, the bridge will not need repairs for the next 15 years,” the Times of India said.
He praised the restoration work and mechanical work, as well as the contractors hired by the company, the report said.
After the incident on Sunday, police arrested nine people related to Orewa, including two managers and two ticket inspectors who were salaried at the company, as well as two contractors and three hired by the company.
They were under investigation for manslaughter, not homicide.
The BBC tried to contact Orewa for a response to the allegations.
Earlier last week, a company spokesperson told The Indian Express (Indian express) claimed that at that time there were too many people in the middle of the bridge and some people were deliberately shaking the bridge.
The Orewa group has also been accused of other missteps, including failing to obtain permission from the authorities to operate the suspension bridge.
Local administrator Sandipsinh Zala told reporters Monday that the Orewa group had not received a safety certificate before reopening the drawbridge.
But many have wondered why a company known for making watches could repair a bridge. The company also produces lighting products, electric bicycles and appliances.
Sara did not answer our calls or return our messages, but an assistant in her office told me that the Orewa Group had originally won a contract to rent the suspension bridge from the regional administration in 2008.
“Sarah just renewed her contract in March,” the assistant said.
The BBC saw a copy of the agreement, valid for 15 years, until March 2037.
The agreement also provides for the company to take responsibility for maintenance and safety, while also retaining the proceeds from the ticket.
image source,EPA
Morby hosted dozens of funerals this week.
According to the document, the company could set fares at Rs 15 for adults and Rs 12 for children, but would charge an additional Rs 2 per ticket.
Authorities have promised a full investigation and a special investigation team has been set up to investigate the cause of the disaster.
Who is responsible for too many people on the bridge?
All reports of events in Morby suggest that the number of people allowed on the bridge at one time could cause the drawbridge to collapse.
Most people say there can only be a maximum of 100-150 people on the bridge at a time, but many witnesses estimate that there were more than 500 people on the bridge at that time.
image source,AFP
Many people were thrown into the river in the dark.
Longtime Morby reporter Pravin Vyas said he lived near the drawbridge but had never seen so many people on it.
“As it is Sunday and it is the last day of the week-long Diwali festival in India, there is a sudden influx of locals and tourists. Many people are also happy to go out to celebrate after a two-year Covid-19 blockade. “.
“It is the management’s responsibility to know how many people can be allowed on the bridge at the same time to ensure safety. But it’s good for them to have more people on the bridge because it’s a ticket,” he said.
Vias said the city administration and police were not to blame either.
“After the reopening, thousands of people came to the bridge every day, so the authorities couldn’t say they didn’t know because the Orewa group didn’t ask them for permission.”
Critics wonder why a place that attracts thousands of locals and tourists every day doesn’t have security measures in place to deal with emergencies?
They asked how there were no cops, drivers and boats nearby.
Regional administrations insist that the safety of tourists is the responsibility of operational activity.
Another district judge, NK Muchhar, told me they were proud of their prompt response to this crisis and that the massive operation they launched has saved many lives.
“We found divers, swimmers, ropes, boats and firefighters in 10 minutes,” he said.
image source,BBC / Geeta Pandey
Parbat Govind (standing) and the other workers involved in the rescue will never forget what they saw during the accident.
But many pointed out that the death toll would have been much higher had it not been for first responders, including locals and workers who were building a new temple on the nearby river bank.
Niranjan Das, who had just finished a day’s work at the temple site, sat on the edge of the bridge with his colleagues and watched the night on the town.
“We saw people clinging to the collapsed part of the bridge,” he said.
Together with seven colleagues, he used construction ropes to get closer to the water.
“We saved eight people and got dozens of bodies out.”
He pointed to his hands and the scars on the feet of a colleague involved in the rescue.
Parbat Govind, 61, who moved to Morby two years ago to work as a temple foreman, was there at the time and witnessed the disaster.
“Those wounds will heal,” he said, “but we will never forget what we saw that day, we will never forget the screams.”
