Morbi Bridge Collapse: Gujarat to Observe State-wide Mourning on Nov 2

The Gujarat government has announced a state-wide mourning on Wednesday (November 2) for those who died in the Morbi bridge collapse tragedy. This was announced by the Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel in a tweet. He said that the decision was taken at a high-level meeting held at Gandhinagar Raj Bhavan chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The national flag will be flown at half-mast on government buildings in the state on November 2 and no government public functions, receptions, or entertainment programs will be held. "I humbly appeal to all across the state to pray for peace on that day for the eternal peace of the departed souls who lost their lives in this tragedy and also to give strength to their families to bear this trauma," tweeted Patel.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Morbi in Gujarat on November 1. The Prime Minister has also announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased from the PM`s Relief Fund, and Rs 50,000 for the injured. The Prime Minister had said earlier that there will be no laxity in rescue and relief operations. 

The Gujarat government has constituted a five-member committee headed to probe the bridge collapse incident. The Gujarat Police has filed a First Information Report under IPC sections 304 and 308 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) in the bridge collapse tragedy.

Nine persons including officials of Oreva, the company that renovated the bridge, ticket sellers, and security men have been arrested for the Morbi bridge collapse.

According to the documents of Municipality, the Morbi-based clock and e-bike maker Oreva Group had the contract to renovate the British-era hanging bridge and was also allowed to charge tickets in the range of Rs. 10 to Rs. 15 for its use. The company claimed that it spent Rs. 2 crores on renovation and also roped in experts for the repair work. The material used in the renovation was also as per specifications by "specialized firms," the company claimed.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday night chaired a meeting on the Morbi bridge collapse in Gujarat and asked authorities to extend all possible help to those affected by the tragedy, officials said. At the meeting, which took place at the Raj Bhavan in Gandhinagar, the PM, who is touring poll-bound Gujarat, was briefed on the relief and rescue operations at the accident site, located around 300 km from the state capital, they said.

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