Morbi tragedy: Here's the history of 143-yr-old ill-fated bridge that's left over 130 dead
The Morbi bridge in Gujarat is located on the Machchhu river and has its roots back to the British era. Read to know about its history and construction.
- India News
- 2 min read
Tragedy struck Gujarat on October 30, when the suspension bridge in the state's Morbi district collapsed around 6.30 p.m., killing over 130 people. The 143-year-old Morbi bridge on the Machchhu river has its roots back to the British era as it served as a connecting point between Darbargadh Palace and Lakhdhirji Engineering College. Here's a look at the history of the suspension bridge which reflected "the progressive and scientific nature of the rulers of Morbi," as per the Morbi collectorate website.
History of the Morbi bridge
The century-old bridge's construction was a part of the technologically planned and versatile city by Morbi’s former ruler Waghji Thakor, who was inspired by the colonialists. Waghji, who ruled Morbi till 1922, is said to have constructed the bridge on the lines of the Ram and Lakshman Jhulas on the Ganga river in Uttarakhand. According to the Morbi collectorate website, the bridge was an 'engineering marvel' as it used modern equipment imported from England and was constructed at a cost of Rs 3.5 lakh.
After its construction, the bridge was inaugurated by then Mumbai Governor Richard Temple on February 20, 1879, and Darbargadh Palace with Nazarbag Palace, the former royal residence in Morbi. After being operational for over a century, the bridge was temporarily closed for renovation work which cost Rs 2 crore. The revamp took seven months and was reopened for the public just five days ago.
Death toll in Gujarat tragedy rises to 133
According to the NDRF officials involved in the rescue operations, the number of people killed in the tragedy has climbed to 133. A number of teams from the NDRF, SDRF, Army and Navy have been deployed that have collectively rescued around 177 people.
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Reports suggested that the bridge which was meant for a few dozen tourists saw footfall in the hundreds which led to the snapping of the cables. Currently, private company Oreva Group, which was contracted for the renovation work is under scrutiny and eight persons related to the company have been detained by the Gujarat Police.