Lessons from Morbi
ROADS & HIGHWAYS

Lessons from Morbi

On October 30, 2022, a pedestrian suspension bridge over the Machchhu River in Morbi, Gujarat, India, collapsed, killing at least 135 people and injuring more than 180 others. Following a lengthy closure for repairs, the 19th-century bridge had reopened five days earlier, just in time for Diwali and...

On October 30, 2022, a pedestrian suspension bridge over the Machchhu River in Morbi, Gujarat, India, collapsed, killing at least 135 people and injuring more than 180 others. Following a lengthy closure for repairs, the 19th-century bridge had reopened five days earlier, just in time for Diwali and the Gujarati New Year. The bridge connected Darbargadh Palace with the present Lukhdhirji Engineering College. There was a limit of fifteen people on the bridge at once, as the narrow structure meant it swayed with any greater weight. The Morbi municipality had owned and operated the bridge as a toll bridge and had signed a contract with the Morbi-based private trust Oreva for maintenance and operations in March 2022. The agreement covered bridge maintenance and management. The toll bridge reopened after being closed for six months for repairs, with Oreva's managing director reportedly stating that the bridge would need no attention for the next eight to ten years. Elaborating on the best practices to be followed for health checking an infrastructure, Dr HM Raje, Director, Raje Structural Consultants, says, “First and foremost while carrying out bridge assessment it is essential to follow proper workflow and identify unwarranted problems. It is essential to collect all necessary information and documents such as structural drawings, maintenance records and the age of the structure or the bridge. As-built drawings must be prepared with sophisticated equipment. Proper evaluation of bridges must be done by thorough professionals by using basic and fundamental principles of bridge engineering along with various sophisticated tests and instrumentations.” “The assessments must be supported by carrying out proper structural analysis of the bridge to understand the load path and load transfer through all various structural elements, and the entire interpretation of tests and analysis shall be made for preparing appropriate repair methodology. While carrying out repairs and restoration, the latest IS codes and technology must be followed. Before the commencement of the bridge load test should be carried out and a stability and safety certificate must be issued,” Dr Raje adds.

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