With search operation in Machchhu river still underway, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday visited the bridge collapse site in Morbi to take stock of the situation.
A CCTV camera in Morbi, where a century-old cable suspension bridge collapsed on Sunday evening, had captured the moment when the tragedy struck.
The video shows a group of visitors standing on the bridge as it swings. A few were even seen holding onto the cables of the suspension bridge to balance themselves. Within moments, it collapsed and people fell in the Machchhu River.
The PM was accompanied by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel. He also met the injured at Morbi Civil Hospital.
Earlier in the day, Patel said: “We are grateful to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for staying with us in this hard time and guiding us to lead Gujarat out of this grief,” Bhupendra Patel said at the Mangarh Memorial event in Rajasthan’s Banswada, while speaking about the bridge collapse in Morbi.
“I offer condolences to those who have passed away in the tragic accident in Morbi two days ago. I pray for the souls of the departed persons to be granted rest. The Army, NRDF and Defence forces have lent a big helping hand in the rescue operations in Morbi.”
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the Morbi bridge collapse in Gujarat, which has claimed 135 lives so far, was a result of “massive corruption”. “Why was a watchmaking company which had no experience of bridge construction allowed to do so?” he said during a press conference.
The Supreme Court has listed the petition seeking a judicial inquiry into the bridge collapse for hearing on November 14, Monday. Rescue operations continued over the Machchhu river on Tuesday. NDRF Commandant, VVN Prasanna Kumar told ANI, “It is suspected that some bodies may be there on the floor of the river, so we resumed the operation with the help of our deep divers.”
Advocate Vishal Tiwari who filed the plea was mentioned before a bench presided by Chief Justice UU Lalit.
Responding to a query from the bench, the petitioner said he was primarily seeking a probe by a retired judge into the matter. He added that there are similar old bridges and monuments in different parts of the country and sought directions to the state governments to form committees to survey and conduct a risk assessment of these structures.
Rescue operations continued over the Machchhu river on Tuesday morning, for the third day, following the collapse of the suspension bridge in Gujarat’s Morbi.
On Tuesday, authorities confirmed that as many as 135 people have died in the incident, so far.