Gujarat High Court Demands Action Report on Morbi Bridge Collapse Lapses

In a significant move, the Gujarat High Court has mandated the state government to furnish an Action Taken Report (ATR) concerning lapses by the office-bearers of Morbi municipality after the catastrophic bridge collapse in October 2022, which resulted in 135 fatalities.

The division bench, led by Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal and Justice Pranav Trivedi, noted the absence of an ATR despite the submission of a concerning report by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on October 9, 2023. The SIT report emphasized inaction by the municipality's then-chief officer among others.

Apart from this, the court is also overseeing compensation and rehabilitation efforts, including a proposal by the Oreva Group to provide monthly payments and cover educational costs for affected victims. The court underscored the necessity of a structured mechanism to implement these payments, highlighting the profound impact on public trust in local governance and infrastructure management.