Exclusive: Gujarat Bridge Reopened Ahead Of Schedule Without Fitness Certificate

The bridge that collapsed in Gujarat's Morbi yesterday, killing more than 140 people, was opened to the public ahead of schedule by the private company hired for its maintenance, documents reveal. The bridge over Machchhu river had been shut for seven months for repairs. It was reopened to the public on October 26 without a fitness certificate from the civic authorities. According to the contract between the Morbi municipal body and Ajanta Manufacturing Private Limited, accessed by NDTV, the bridge had to be shut for at least eight to 12 months for maintenance and repairs. Ajanta, a clockmaker, is part of the Oreva Group, which sold tickets for the bridge at Rs 17 apiece. NDTV's Ankit Tyagi reports from outside the Oreva office in Morbi.