NEW DELHI: The death toll from the collapse of a pedestrian bridge in the western Indian state of Gujarat rose to at least 132 on Monday, as Indian authorities launched an investigation into the accident that took place just days after the bridge reopened to the public.
Hundreds of sightseers celebrating Diwali, or the festival of lights, and the Chhath Puja holidays, stood on or near the 230-meter bridge — a major tourist attraction — on Sunday evening when it collapsed, sending people plunging into the Machchhu River.
The rescue operation, which is still ongoing, involves the National Disaster Response Force and officers from the Indian Navy, Ghandhyam Pedva, Gujarat’s information officer, told Arab News.
“So far 132 people are confirmed dead, and some 200 have been rescued in a night-long operation,” Pedva said.
A large number of those who died were women, children and the elderly, according to reports from local media outlets.
The bridge in Morbi, a town about 200 km from Gujarat’s main city Ahmedabad, was built during British rule in the 19th century and had been closed for about six months for renovations. It collapsed just four days after it was reopened to the public.
The structure was opened by a private company that repaired and operated the bridge without a “fitness certificate” from local authorities, Sandeep Singh, Morbi’s chief municipal commissioner, said.
“We have not been informed whether the renovation work was completed or not,” Singh told reporters.
“What happened on Sunday was carelessness,” he said. “A six-member enquiry commission has been set up by the government to fix the responsibility.”
Videos shared on social media showed the bridge split in the middle with the metal carriageway hanging down, as people clung to the edge of the structure and others tried to swim to safety in the river.
Kesav Gada was on the bridge with his 10-year-old sister when the incident occurred.
“I was taking a selfie with my sister when the bridge collapsed,” Gada told Arab News.
Though the 18-year-old managed to get hold of a rope on the bridge, his sister had fallen into the river.
“So far I am not able to locate my sister,” he said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is from Gujarat and was in the state for a three-day visit, announced cash compensation for the families of those killed or injured.
“I am deeply saddened by the tragedy at Morbi,” Modi said in a tweet. “Relief and rescue operations are going on in full swing and all necessary assistance is being provided to the affected.”
Modi was Gujarat’s top elected official for 12 years before becoming India’s premier in 2014. The bridge collapse took place amid election season in the state, where Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party has remained in power for two decades. Opposition parties have called for an investigation into the incident.
Infrastructure in the South Asian country has long been marred by safety concerns, with major disasters on highways and bridges a frequent occurrence.
The bridge collapse in Gujarat is Asia’s third major disaster involving large crowds in a month, after tear gas fired at an Indonesian soccer match caused a crush that killed more than 130 people on Oct. 1, and a Halloween crowd surge in Seoul, South Korea, over the weekend killed more than 150 people.
