Morbi bridge tragedy: Oreva Group deposits Rs 14.62 cr for interim compensation to victims

Ahmedabad: The Oreva Group informed the Gujarat High Court on Tuesday that it has deposited with the state legal services authority the entire amount of Rs 14.62 crore to be paid as interim compensation to victims of the Morbi bridge tragedy, as directed by the HC in February.

The suspension bridge collapsed in Morbi town on October 30 last year, killing 135 people. The Oreva Group was responsible for the operation and maintenance of the British-era structure.

The company informed a division bench of Acting Chief Justice AJ Desai and Justice Biren Vaishnav that it has deposited with the Gujarat State Legal Services Authority the entire amount of Rs 14.62 crore to be paid as interim relief to the victims.

The money was deposited in two instalments of equal amounts, it said.

The court said the amount shall be disbursed as per the February 22 order of the division bench.

In the said order, the court had directed member secretary of the Gujarat State Legal Services Authority to ensure the disbursement in coordination with the District Legal Services Authority and government officials concerned after due verification of the victims.

The state government also informed the court on Tuesday that it has superseded the Morbi municipality as per its April 11 order.

The company was directed by the court on February 22, 2023 to pay Rs 10 lakh as interim compensation to the kin of each of the 135 deceased, and Rs 2 lakh to each of the 56 people injured in the accident.

The court had directed the company to double the amount of interim compensation it initially proposed to pay to the families of the deceased and the injured.

Jaysukh Patel, the managing director of the company which is into manufacturing of e-bikes, home appliances and clocks, has been named as the main accused in the case and arrested along with nine others who are currently in judicial custody.

The company also proposed to take care of seven children who were orphaned in the tragedy by looking after their education, medical care, residence and ensuring they get settled in their respective profession after completing their studies.