The Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to hear on November 14 a PIL seeking the constitution of a judicial commission to probe the Morbi bridge collapse in Gujarat.
A bench of Chief Justice of India UU Lalit and Justice Bela M Trivedi registered the matter for hearing on November 14 after the advocate who filed the petition mentioned it for urgent hearing.
According to latest reports, the death toll in the collapse of the Morbi bridge on Sunday on the Machchu river in Gujarat has spike-up to more than 134 people.
“You are very quick. What are your prayers,” a bench comprising Chief Justice Uday Umesh Lalit and Justice Bela M Trivedi said when lawyer Vishal Tiwari mentioned his PIL on the issue for urgent hearing.
I am seeking a judicial enquiry by a panel headed by a former Supreme Court judge,” the advocate said. Tiwari, in the PIL, said the accident leading to the collapse of the bridge resulting in more than 100 casualties, depicted the negligence and utter failure of government authorities.
The bench then said that the PIL would be listed for hearing on November 14.
From the past decade, several incidents have taken place in our country wherein due to the mismanagement, lapse in duty, negligent maintenance activities, there have been cases of huge public casualties which could have been avoided, the PIL said.
The more than a century-old bridge on the Machchu river in Morbi, located around 300 km from the state capital Gandhinagar, had reopened five days ago after extensive repairs and renovation.
It was crammed with people when it collapsed around 6.30 pm on Sunday. The death toll in the bridge collapse has gone up to more than 135, a senior police officer said.
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