Morbi bridge collapse: Gujarat HC again slams State authorities

Gujarat HC holds Morbi Municipality chief guilty of dereliction of duty, asks for detailed report on similar bridges in the State, says compensation to victims inadequate

The Gujarat High Court on Thursday held Morbi municipality’s chief officer S.V. Zala responsible for the bridge collapse which claimed 141 lives in a major tragedy last month. 

The court is hearing a suo motu petition on the collapse.

Earlier also, it had rapped the State authorities for handing over the colonial-era bridge to a local clock manufacturing company for its repair, maintenance and management, without inviting bids for the same. 

“The Morbi Nagar palika Chief Officer S.V.Zala is prima facie guilty of dereliction of duty and even the affidavit filed by the nagar palika lacks details,” a division bench of Chief Justice Arvind Kumar and Justice A.J. Shastri observed on Thursday. 

The division bench observed that the compensation awarded to the victims was not adequate and asked whether it could be enhanced. “We are not satisfied with the compensation amount paid to the families of deceased, a family should get at least Rs 10 lakh compensation,” the court noted.

The court also sought a detailed report on similar bridges in the State and asked for a status report within 10 days. The Chief Justice has also asked for government files related to the matter and even details on when the Special Investigation Team (SIT) report was submitted before the lower court.

“It is high time that all officials who are either monitoring, managing, controlling and administering such bridges across the State should ensure that the bridges in their jurisdictions are in proper condition and if not, remedial actions should be taken,” said the court.