SC wants monitoring of Morbi bridge case

NEW DELHI: Calling the Morbi suspension bridge collapse an “enormous tragedy”, the Supreme Court on Monday asked the Gujarat high court to examine the case periodically to ensure that the investigation fixes accountability of those guilty of criminal negligence and to offer adequate compensation to the next of kin of victims.

The apex court also asked the high court to examine putting in place a regulatory mechanism to ensure incidents such as the bridge collapse in Gujarat do not recur in the future.

Taking up two separate writ petitions on the issue, a bench led by Chief Justice of India Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud observed that the top court would have examined the matter itself in the wake of the “glaring facts” had the high court not initiated proceedings on its own (suo motu) on November 7 and passed three orders since then.

Days after it was reopened following renovation, the suspension bridge on Machchu river in Gujarat’s Morbi town collapsed on October 30, killing 135 people.

“A weekly hearing is required to examine the status of investigation, the manner in which the contract was awarded, attribution of responsibility and the award of contract to the company concerned and the grant of compensation,” said the bench.