Thge Gujarat High Court on Monday took suo motu cognisance of the Morbi Bridge collapse of October 30, 2022..The 141-year-old suspension bridge over the Machchuu river in Morbi, Gujarat had collapsed on October 30 causing the death of around 135 persons. The collapse was after repairs and maintenance of the bridge which was done by a private firm, the Oreva Group.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. "Mr Advocate General, it was disheartening. More than 100 persons have died an untimely death. So we have taken a suo motu cognizance of it. We want to know what steps have you (state) taken so far," the Court stated.The Court directed the State, its Chief Secretary, Morbi Municipal Corporation, Urban Development Department (UDD), State Home Department and State Human Rights Commission to be impleaded as parties.From the State, it sought a report within ten days on the steps taken so far, and listed the matter for further hearing on November 14, 2022.State Human Rights Commission was directed to file a separate report on the incident..CJ Aravind Kumar clarified 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.Advocate General Kamal Trivedi and Senior Advocate Manisha Lavkumar Shah represented the State.
Thge Gujarat High Court on Monday took suo motu cognisance of the Morbi Bridge collapse of October 30, 2022..The 141-year-old suspension bridge over the Machchuu river in Morbi, Gujarat had collapsed on October 30 causing the death of around 135 persons. The collapse was after repairs and maintenance of the bridge which was done by a private firm, the Oreva Group.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. "Mr Advocate General, it was disheartening. More than 100 persons have died an untimely death. So we have taken a suo motu cognizance of it. We want to know what steps have you (state) taken so far," the Court stated.The Court directed the State, its Chief Secretary, Morbi Municipal Corporation, Urban Development Department (UDD), State Home Department and State Human Rights Commission to be impleaded as parties.From the State, it sought a report within ten days on the steps taken so far, and listed the matter for further hearing on November 14, 2022.State Human Rights Commission was directed to file a separate report on the incident..CJ Aravind Kumar clarified 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.Advocate General Kamal Trivedi and Senior Advocate Manisha Lavkumar Shah represented the State.
