People were purposefully shaking a British-era bridge before it fell in Morbi, Gujarat, on Sunday night. After the bridge fell into the river, at least 140 people perished.
CCTV footage captures a guy swaying erratically and grabbing the wires on both sides just before the bridge fell at about 6.32 p.m.
The video depicts how crowded the bridge is with people, some taking pictures with their phones while others attempt to shake the structure. People are thrown into the Macchu River when the metal cables crack, and the bridge collapses in seconds. One fence and the walkway fell, leaving one side hanging in the air.
Witnesses said that people tripped over one another.
Later footage saw individuals clinging to the bridge’s remnants, some swimming to safety.
Although the bridge could hold only around 125, there were about 500 people on it.
400 to 500 tickets were distributed on Sunday, according to Jayrajsinh Jadeja, a councilor for the governing BJP in Morbi, which caused congestion and the collapse.
On October 26, the 150-year-old bridge was opened to the public following seven months of maintenance and repair work. The bridge was reopened earlier than expected, according to the agreement between the Morbi municipal authorities and Ajanta Manufacturers, the private business engaged in bridge repair.
According to the contract, the bridge had to be closed for up to eight or twelve months before it could reopen for traffic.
The business, Oreva, did not notify authorities about restoring the bridge and had not been given a fitness certificate to do so, according to Sandeepsinh Zala, chief officer of Morbi municipality.
