PM Modi to visit Gujarat's Morbi on Tuesday

New Delhi, Oct 31: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be visiting Gujarat's Morbi where a century-old bridge on the Machchhu river collapsed and killed over 134 on Sunday. The Prime Minister had cancelled his roadshow as well as all the celebratory events in the wake of the accident on Monday.

Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister said in a calamity like the one that happened in Morbi yesterday, the entire country comes forward as one and people offer prayer and assistance from every part of the country. During the time of the pandemic, this unity was on full display in the emotional unison of 'tali-thali' to cooperation in medicine, ration and vaccine.

"Even as I speak before you people, my heart is with those affected due to the tragedy. Rarely in my life, would I have experienced such pain. On one hand, there is a pain-riddled heart and on the other hand, there is the path to duty," Hindustan Times quoted the Prime Minister as saying at the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas event in Gujarat.

He said that even though he is in Kevadia, his heart remains connected to the victims of the mishap in Morbi. "On one hand, there is a heart laden with grief, while on the other there is the path of Karma and Kartavya, he said.

The PM underlined that it is the path of duty and responsibility that has led him here at the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas. The Prime Minister paid deep condolences to all those who lost their lives in yesterday's mishap and assured that the government is standing shoulder to shoulder with the families of the victims.

The state government has been engaging in rescue work and the central government is providing every possible assistance. The Prime Minister informed that NDRF teams have been deployed in rescue operations other than teams from the army and air force while assistance is also being provided to hospitals that are treating the injured.

He also noted that the Chief Minister of Gujarat reached the Morbi to take the lead in executing rescue operations and formed a committee to investigate the occurrences.

The Prime Minister assured the people of the country that there will be no shortcomings when it comes to rescue operations. The cultural programme segment of the event was cancelled in light of the tragedy.