Morbi Bridge: How did the company making 'Ajanta watch' get the responsibility of repair, was there any mistake in it?

Posted on 31st Oct 2022 by rohit kumar

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state Gujarat witnessed a tragic accident on Sunday evening. So far 132 people have died in Morbi after a suspension bridge over Machhu river collapsed and fell into the river. Since the incident, the Orewa Group, which is responsible for the maintenance of the bridge, has come under the scanner.

 

The bridge, which was closed for five months, was opened only last week.

Being a holiday, a large number of people were present on the bridge at around 6.30 pm on Sunday, when this painful accident happened. So far 132 people have been confirmed dead in the accident. According to media reports, the total death toll can go up to 150. At present, the sight of the accident site is heart-wrenching. Where a rescue operation is being conducted in search of dead bodies amidst the chaos. In such a situation, the suspension bridge on the Machu river in Morbi, Gujarat was 140 old, but the bridge was closed for some time to get the maintenance-related work done and it was opened again only last week (26 October 2022). According to the information available in the Collectorate of Morbi district, the bridge was considered to be an engineering marvel of the 19th century. This symbolized the progressive and scientific nature of the rulers of Morbi.

 

 

Orewa Group was given the responsibility of maintaining the police for 15 years

The Oreva Group, a reputed company in Gujarat, was responsible for the maintenance of the suspension bridge on the Machhu river. Let us tell you that Oreva Group is the same company that manufactures watches of Ajanta brand present from house to house. Orewa Group was given the responsibility of operation and maintenance of the company for 15 years. In March of the same year, it was closed for the restoration of the bridge. It was re-opened on 26th October on the occasion of the Gujarati New Year. The company was also charging Rs 17 per person from the people for the bridge tour.

 

From watches to e-bikes, the company that maintains the bridge makes

The Morbi position, which is responsible for the maintenance of the suspension bridge, is also popularly known as Orewa Group Ajanta Manufacturing Private Limited. The company manufactures everything from wall clocks to e-bikes and electrical bulbs. After the accident, the company has come under the target of the people. Before taking over the maintenance work of the bridge, the company had claimed that it wanted to develop the bridge using the latest technology in a way that would give a new identity to Morbi, already known for the manufacture of wall clocks.

 

Orewa Group's business has spread to 45 countries

Odhavji Patel was the founder of Oreva Group. The company's business is currently spread to 45 countries of the world. The company has about 7000 employees, of which 5000 are women. Apart from manufacturing watches and e-bikes, the company also does water harvesting work for farmers. The company also manufactures energy-saving LED bulbs, calculators, and tiles. The company is also involved in the business of snacks under the brand name Oreva in the Morbi and Kutch districts of Gujarat.

 

The founder of the company was known as the father of wall clocks.

The headquarter of the company is located at Thaltej circle on SG Highway in Ahmedabad. After the death of Odhavji Patel, known as the 'father of wall clocks' in October 2012, his son Jaysukh Odhavji is taking over the business of the Orewa Group. The turnover of the company is around Rs 800 crore. Jaisukh Odhavji was also honored with the Business Award named 'Nav Nakshatra Samman' by Kirti Solanki, MP from Ahmedabad West Lok Sabha seat of Gujarat in the year 2020.

 

Where did the mistake happen due to which 132 people lost their lives?

According to media reports, Jindal Group, which renovated the bridge, had given a guarantee of 25 years for this bridge. However, the company had said to allow 100 people to climb the bridge simultaneously. The fitness certificate of this bridge and the investigation by three agencies of the government were yet to be done. But during Diwali, in a hurry, Jai Sukhbhai Patel got this bridge inaugurated at the hands of his granddaughter. It has been told that there were 500-700 people on the bridge at the time of the accident.

 

Morbi Municipality's allegation – work was done under government tender, yet an investigation was not done

After the accident, Morbi Municipality chief Sandeep Singh Jala said that the company opened the bridge to the general public last week without taking a fitness certificate from the municipality. According to him, the bridge restoration work was done under a government tender, so the Orewa Group should have provided detailed information about the work done to the municipality. They should have also got a quality check done before restarting the bridge, but it was not done. The government was also not aware that the bridge had been restored.

 

The name of the Oreva Group or any person associated with it is not in the FIR.

Let us tell you that the name of Jaisukh or Oreva Group is not mentioned anywhere in the FIR registered in connection with the accident. The police have not yet identified any accused in this case. Yes, complaints have been lodged against the agency, its managers, and others, which do the maintenance work of the bridge, but no detailed information has been given about them at the moment. The task of investigating the accident has been entrusted to DSP PA Jala. Police say that it is a case of negligence.

 

Group had also given a project report for a water use project in the Kutch region

A water use project worth Rs 200 crore was envisaged by Jaisukh Patel in October 2021. Union Home Minister Amit Shah also supported this. On 7 October 2021, Shah also held a meeting with Patel to discuss the implementation of the project. Let us tell you that during that time Patel had proposed to convert the small Rann of the Kutch region of 4,900 square kilometers into a huge freshwater lake called Rann Sarovar, which came on a road.

 

Also Read: PM Modi got emotional about Morbi accident, and said- I have rarely experienced such pain in my life