HC questions nod to Morbi bridge use

MY INDIA

CIVIC BODY TO ANSWER

The Gujarat high court on Wednesday asked the Morbi civic body whether the agreement to allow a private company to maintain and operate the British-era suspension bridge was approved by the authority and whether it gave permission to the firm to open the bridge for public use. Days after it was reopened, the suspension bridge on the Machchu river in Gujarat’s Morbi town collapsed on October 30, killing 135 people. A division bench headed by chief justice Aravind Kumar also pulled up the Morbi municipality for allowing Ajanta Manufacturing Ltd — operating under the banner of Oreva group — to open the bridge for public use after the authority informed the court that it did not give the approval for it, and asked them to submit an affidavit a copy of the approval, if any.