Prime Minister Narendra Modi became emotional on Monday while he mentioned the loss of lives in Morbi, Gujarat, where a century-old cable suspension bridge, known as the 'Jhulto Pool' (swinging bridge) collapsed into the Machchhu river on Sunday.
“I am in Kevadia, but my heart goes out to the Morbi bridge collapse victims," Modi stated while visiting Kevadia, a city in Gujarat's Narmada district. He was supposed to hold a roadshow in Ahmedabad, but the event was cancelled in the wake of the tragedy.
Expressing his sorrow to the bereaved families, the PM said, "troupes from across the country came to Kevadia to perform traditional dances, but their program has been canceled due to present circumstances... I express my condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the tragedy."
The Indian Prime Minister is on a three-day visit to Gujarat, his home state. On Monday, he paid tribute to freedom struggle icon Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on what would have been his 147th birthday.
The Gujarat Police have filed a First Information Report under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 304 and 308 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder). A criminal case has been registered against the private contractor.
The Gujarat government has convened a five-member committee to probe the cable bridge collapse.
The Morbi municipality was managing the bridge before the contract was provided to the Oreva Group (Ajanta Manufacturing Pvt Ltd) for the maintenance of the bridge for 15 years in March this year, local body chief Sandeepsinh Zala told the Indian Express.
The bridge was reopened last week, although its fitness certificate had yet to be submitted to the local authorities, according to local media.
Prime Minister Modi and State Chief Bhupendra Patel have assured the general public that a detailed investigation would be conducted into the matter and those who would be found culpable would get the strictest punishment the law allowed.
Meanwhile, Oreva Group spokesperson said that “prima facie, it appears that the bridge collapsed as too many people in the mid-section of the bridge were trying to sway it from one way to the other.”