Gujarat bridge collapse: Death toll rises to 132; Rescue ops underway

Morbi, Oct 31: At least 132 people, many of them women and children, died after a century-old suspension bridge on Machchhu river in Gujarat's Morbi city collapsed on Sunday evening, according to the Gujarat Home Minister, Harsh Sanghavi. Rescue operations are currently underway.

Several teams of the Indian Army, Indian Navy, Indian Air Force, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have been working overnight to rescue those who fell into the Machhu river after the bridge collapsed on Sunday evening. So far, 177 people have been rescued.

Addressing the media on Monday morning, Gujarat Home Minister, Harsh Sanghavi stated that more than 200 people have worked overnight to carry out search and rescue operations.

Sanghavi said a five-member high-powered committee has been formed to probe the bridge collapse. It includes Roads and Buildings department secretary Sandeep Vasava and four other senior officers.

An FIR was lodged in the bridge collapse under sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 308 (intentional act causing death) and 114 (abettor present when offence committed), against whoever is found responsible, Sanghavi said.

Due to the Diwali vacation and being a Sunday, there was a rush of tourists on the bridge, a major tourist attraction.

A private operator had carried out the repair work of the bridge for nearly six months before it was reopened to the public on the Gujarati New Year Day on October 26. It was opened to the public after the completion of the renovation work. But the local municipality had not yet issued any fitness certificate (after the renovation work), an official said, as reported by news agency PTI.

A fire department official said that boats were being used to rescue people from the river. The National Disaster Response Force rushed three teams to Morbi district.

The state government has announced a compensation of Rs 4 lakh to the kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured.

An army team including doctors and paramedical staff has reached the accident site, while the navy has sent a team of more than 40 personnel for rescue operations, an official said.

The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said in a tweet that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is currently in Gujarat, spoke to Patel and officials. Modi sought urgent mobilisation of rescue teams and asked that the situation be closely and continuously monitored, and all possible help be extended to those affected.

President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar expressed grief over the bridge collapse and prayed for the safe rescue of others.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said he was deeply saddened by the bridge collapse and appealed to party workers in the state to extend every possible assistance in rescue work. Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi also said the news of the bridge collapse accident was very saddening and appealed to all Congress workers to extend all possible help to the injured.

CPI leader Binoy Viswam hit out at the BJP over the bridge collapse, claiming that it points to the ''gross negligence'' of the state government.

Following the accident, Modi has cancelled his road show, scheduled to be held in Ahmedabad Monday ahead of the state Assembly polls, BJP told news agency PTI. A ''page committee sammelan'', scheduled to be held on Tuesday in Modi's virtual presence, has been put off, they added.