Morbi bridge may not have got civic bodies' certificate before reopening: report

The Morbi bridge in Gujarat that led to tragic death of over 130 people after it collapsed on Sunday probably did not have a fitness certificate issued by local authorities, NDTV reported.

Quoting the local municipal body's chief Sandipsinh Zala, the report said that the company, Oreva group which had undertaken the work of renovation did not take a fitness certificate from the municipality before reopening the suspension bridge.

Zala further told NDTV that Oreva group gained the work through a government tender. It was supposed to give renovation details and get a quality check before throwing open the suspension bridge for the public. However, it did not do so.

The Morbi suspension bridge collapsed after its thick cables snapped when it was clogged with locals. The bridge is one of the famous tourist spots in the state of Gujarat.

So far, 130 bodies have been fished out and nearly 100 are hospitalised due to injuries while around 20 are still missing according to authorities.

Meanwhile, the Army and NDRF teams are carrying out rescue operations to search for missing people.

Also Watch| Gujarat: Morbi suspension bridge collapse death toll mounts to 130