SIT report says 22 corroded wires, welded suspenders reasons behind Morbi bridge collapse

Amid the ongoing investigation into the Morbi bridge tragedy, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) found that 22 of the 49 cables of the bridge were corroded. It was further revealed that the wires of the Morbi bridge were already broken before the collapse that claimed the lives of 134 people. 

"22 of the 49 cables were corroded which indicates that those wires may have already been broken before the incident. The remaining 27 wires recently broke," the preliminary report submitted by SIT revealed.  

Detailing the condition of the suspenders of the bridge, the report stated that proper testing of the main cable and vertical suspenders of the bridge was not carried out before the commencement of repair work. It further revealed that the old suspenders were welded with the new ones during the repair works. 

Repairing work done by ‘non-competent authority’

The preliminary report prepared by the five-member SIT after carrying out an investigation into the Morbi bridge collapse alleged that Oreva Group outsourced the repairing work to a "non-competent authority". Ajanta Manufacturing Limited (Oreva Group) had secured the contract to renovate, repair and operate the British-era bridge on the Macchu river in Gujarat’s Morbi. 

"The new deck comprised of honeycomb aluminium sheets which were supported by four aluminium channels, vis-a-vis, the old deck that was made of wooden plank and supported by three channels. This led to increase in the weight of the bridge," the report said. 

Oreva Group MD Jaysukh Patel surrenders

Earlier on January 31, Oreva Group Managing Director Jaysukh Patel surrendered before a court in Morbi in connection with the bridge collapse tragedy on October 30. Patel was named as an accused in the 1,262-page chargesheet filed by the police on January 27. 

Notably, Ajanta Manufacturing Limited (Oreva Group) was responsible for the operation and maintenance of the British-era suspension bridge on the Machchhu river in Morbi that collapsed just five days after its reopening.