Predictably, there’s no egg yet on the face of the movers and shakers of Gujarat over the epic collapse of a suspension bridge in Morbi, the largely frequented tourism centre. They are putting on a brave front. There were no resignations but a few arrests. Around 140 holiday-makers were killed in the mishap on Sunday evening while around 200 others present on the bridge had a providential escape. The actual reasons for the collapse would be investigated, but nothing goes to show the guilty would be punished. The nexus between politicians, contractors, engineers and bureaucrats is massive and not limited to Gujarat. Between them, they take cuts, protect each other and generally remain untouched.
The cited reasons for the bridge collapse were many. For one, the company that took the 2-crore contract for repair and maintenance of the 145-year-old bridge allegedly did not have the expertise to handle such work. The ropes on which the bridge was hanging were “not changed” despite their wear and tear. Likely, the saved money was shared and pocketed. The bridge was reportedly having a capacity to carry only 150 persons while over 400 people had thronged it in the post-Diwali revelry. There was no signboard at the ticket counter limiting the number of visitors to the bridge. Nor was such a rule enforced. The bridge, after a six-month maintenance, was reopened five days before the mishap without obtaining a fitness certificate from the official agency. Clearly, those put in the seats of governance were nonchalant.
Curiously, since the year 2000, almost all the major bridge collapses around the world have taken place in India. A flyover collapse in Kolkata killed 27 and injured over 80 in 2016. The same year, 28 persons died in the collapse of a 100-year-old bridge over Savitri river in Maharashtra. A cable bridge collapse in Surat killing 10 persons in June, 2014. Some 48 persons were killed in the Kota Chambal bridge collapse in Rajasthan in 2009. The Veligonda rail overbridge in Andhra Pradesh was washed away in the floods in 2005, killing 114 persons. There were 130 deaths in the collapse of the Rafiganj rail bridge in 2002 due to suspected sabotage. A rail bridge mishap killed 60 in Kerala in 2001. Life went on as usual after these mishaps and no one in responsible positions was punished. Inquiry reports made after many years only gathered dust. Unlike in the royal era, as governments change, the past is forgotten. Notably, Gujarat’s “double engine” government patronised by PM Modi too could not prevent such disasters.
