Morbi Bridge Collapse: Gujarat HC Slams Bhupendra Patel Govt Over 'Inadequate' Compensation

Morbi Bridge Collapse: The Gujarat High Court has asked the state to disburse proper compensation to the families of the victims and the critically injured.

135 people were killed after the Morbi bridge collapse in Gujarat on October 30.

The Gujarat High Court has come down heavily on the Bhupendra Patel government over the amount of compensation announced. The court observed that the compensation given to the kin of the deceased is “inadequate and unrealistic”. The HC said: “The need of the hour is to disburse an appropriate compensation.”

“The compensation paid to critically injured is also not enough,” the court observed. The Court has asked the state to file a detailed affidavit and formulate a policy for proper compensation. As many as 135 people were killed after the Morbi bridge collapsed in Gujarat on October 30.

On the day of the tragedy, the Gujarat government announced Rs 4 lakh ex gratia for the families of the victims. The Bhupendra Patel government also announced Rs 50,000 compensation and free treatment for the injured. The Centre, too, announced Rs 2 lakh compensation for the next of kin of those who died in the incident and Rs 50,000 to each of the injured.

The Gujarat High Court has also ordered the government to conduct a survey of all bridges in the state. The HC has asked the state to ensure that all bridges are in proper condition.

The HC has also sought a list of all bridges, mentioning their condition. The comprehensive certified report needs to be placed before the high court, it said.

A Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) report on the Morbi bridge collapse in Gujarat released this week revealed that the Oreva Group had sold over 3,000 tickets on the day the tragedy occurred. District government pleader Vijay Jani said: "The group had sold 3,165 tickets on October 30 alone and there was no coordination between ticket booking offices on either end of the bridge.”

The FIR stated that at least 250 to 300 people were present on the bridge when it collapsed after one of the cables snapped, resulting in the death of 135 people. The bridge had the capacity to take the weight of only about 125 people at a time.

The Oreva group was tasked with the renovation and maintenance of the Morbi bridge. Oreva Group, in turn, hired Dhrangadhra-based Dev Prakash Solution to renovate the bridge. After renovation, the bridge was opened to the public on the Gujarati New Year on October 26.

(With inputs from ANI.)