Did Gujarat govt assess, inspect and maintain all the bridges as promised to the HC?

In October 2022, the Morbi bridge maintained  by the Oreva Group collapsed, resulting in the deaths of 135 people. Following the collapse, a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed in the Gujarat High Court, which was heard by a bench led by Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal.

During the hearing, Chief Justice Agarwal had directed the state government to collect and submit reports on all bridges across the state. The court also instructed the government to conduct inspections of these bridges both before and after the monsoon, as some roads and bridges tend to get washed away during heavy rains.

In response, the state government assured the court that all bridge reports would be presented and that inspections would be carried out before and after the monsoon. The government further stated that inspections were ongoing and presented related reports to the high court.

During the hearing, the high court also directed the government to award any bridge or road-related contracts only after properly investigating the contractor’s capabilities and track record in maintaining and repairing roads and bridges.

Additionally, it was mentioned that two of the iconic bridges in Gondal had sustained damage. While the government stated that these bridges would be closed and demolished, the high court emphasised that no bridges should be demolished but instead repaired and reworked, ensuring that no lives are lost due to negligence.

After the Gambhira bridge incident on Wednesday, questions are being raised regarding the nature and thoroughness of these inspections.