Write a note on Morbi disaster. (HPAS Mains Question Paper 2022 – GS 1, Q.6)
Recently, a suspension bridge across the river Machchu in Gujarat’s Morbi district collapsed, killing over 135 people. Sir Waghji Thakor, the ruler of the princely state of Morbi, erected the suspension bridge, or Jhulta Pul, in 1877.
“Jhulto Pul” is a pedestrian suspension bridge inaugurated in 1879 upon Sir Waghji Ravaji’s resignation as Thakur Sahib of Morbi (1858-1922).
The 233-meter-long bridge linked Darbargarh Palace and Lakhdhirji Engineering College over the Machchhu River. This 150-year-old bridge is a popular tourist destination in the area. It is considered an engineering wonder.
The bridge, which had been closed for two years for renovations, reopened to the public on October 26 (Gujarati New Year) without undergoing safety testing or acquiring fitness certifications from city authorities. At the moment of the collapse, more than 500 people were on the bridge, surpassing the statutory limit of 125. The bridge’s security camera showed the structure trembling violently, with people clutching onto cables and fences on each side of the bridge before the walkway collapsed. Photos from rescue and recovery efforts revealed that the walkway had split in the middle, with some portions still dangling from shattered wires.
According to early accounts, the bridge was reopened without the needed certificate of fitness from the local municipal authority. The chief officer of the municipality, who had agreed on the contract for repairs following the 2001 earthquake, claimed the private business responsible for the restorations “threw the bridge open to tourists without alerting us, and consequently, we couldn’t have a safety assessment of the bridge completed”.
According to a forensic analysis produced in court, the bridge could not take the weight of the new heavy flooring since the cables were rusty, the anchors were fractured, and the bolts connecting the above two were loose. The Gujarat government appointed a five-member committee to examine and ascertain the reason.
