Gujarat High Court takes Suo Motu cognisance of Morbi bridge collapse tragedy

Gandhinagar: The Gujarat High Court has today taken Suo Motu cognizance of the hanging bridge collapse tragedy in Morbi. The Chief Justice of the High Court has asked to file a report on the actions taken in ten days. Further hearing in this matter shall take place on 14th November. The High Court has also issued notices to Morbi Municipality, the Urban Development department, the Chief Secretary, the Human Right Commission, Home department of the State government and stated they are to be impleaded as parties in this case.

A bench of Chief Justice Aravind Kumar and Justice Ashutosh J Shastri observed that the incident where hundreds of citizens died an untimely death was disheartening.

CJ Aravind Kumar stated that on October 31, 2022, he had given telephonic directions to the Registrar of the High Court to register an article by Times of India on the incident as a public interest litigation (PIL) but could not sit on the same day to hear it due to Diwali vacation.

135 persons were killed in the Morbi bridge collapse tragedy on a Sunday during the Diwali vacation. The suspension bridge was 141 years old and it was maintained, repaired and operated by the private company Oreva. DeshGujarat