AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat High Court on Wednesday directed watchmaker Orewa Group to pay an interim compensation of Rs 10 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 2 lakh to each of the injured in the Morbi suspension bridge accident for four weeks. Instructed to pay within
This company had the responsibility of maintaining the bridge. A bench of Chief Justice Sonia Gokani and Justice Sandeep Bhatt directed the company to pay interim compensation. The court ordered that Rs two lakh be paid to each of the injured as interim compensation. Significantly, the suspension bridge located on the Machchu river in Morbi town of the state collapsed on October 30 last year.
135 people died and 56 others were injured in this accident. On Tuesday, the Oreva Group made an offer before the High Court to pay a total of Rs five crore as interim compensation to the next of kin of those who lost their lives and the injured. However, the court said that the compensation offered by the company was not justified.