The Ajanta Oreva company signed a 15-year contract for the operation and maintenance of the Morbi bridge. The contract was signed between Morbi municipal corporation and Ajanta Oreva company in March 2022 and was valid till 2037.
Few days after the tragedy in Gujarat's Morbi district, where a suspension bridge collapse killed 134 people, it has been revealed that the Oreva Group, who had the responsibility of the bridge's maintenance had sent a letter to the District Collector of Morbi in January 2020 stating, "We are reopening the suspension bridge by only doing temporary repairs."
A 15-year contract for the operation and maintenance of the bridge was signed between the Ajanta Oreva campany and the Morbi municipal corporation in March 2022 and was valid till 2037.
According to the contents of the letter, the Oreva company demanded a permanent contract for the bridge's maintenance and refused to provide complete service until the time they are given a permanent contract.
They had also mentioned in the letter that the bridge will be reopened after completion of the temporary repairs. Theu=y also had made it very clear that the firm would not order materials to repair the bridge until their demands are met.
The letter says, "We are reopening the suspension bridge by only doing temporary repairs" and asked the administration to "rectify" the matter.
As per media reports, earlier the Municipal Chief Officer Sandeep Singh told reporters that Oreva violated the terms and agreements of the contract and opened the bridge in just five months, without intimating the civic body.
He also added that he didn't give the company a go ahead before the Diwali holidays. Suddenly the company had reopened the bridge and consequently the accident happened.