A government inquiry concluded that rusted wires, faulty welding, and alterations to the walking surface of a 145-year-old Indian hanging bridge caused its collapse last year, killing 135 people.

On October 30, hundreds drowned when a suspension bridge in the town of Morbi in the western state of Gujarat collapsed. The Morbi bridge was built during the colonial period, Reuters reported

The main cables were not examined or changed, there was no load test or structural test performed before opening the bridge, and there were far more people on the bridge at the time of the Morbi Bridge collapse than it could hold, according to a five-person special inquiry committee established by the state government.

An initial investigative report said the primary cable on the upstream side was damaged on one side.

The bridge, 233 meters long and 1.25 meters broad, had been closed for maintenance for more than seven months before the fatal accident in India.

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Bridge's Wires Already Failed Before The Fatal Incident

Of the India bridge's two major cables, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) found that one had corrosion and that roughly half of its wires "may have already failed" long before the cable snapped.

The SIT, which was appointed by the Gujarat government, stated in the report that after the completion of the refurbishment, the new suspenders were welded onto the back of the old ones. As a result, suspenders started acting differently.

Over 300 people were crossing during the Morbi bridge collapse, the SIT stated, which was "much more" than the bridge could have safely supported, as per a WION report.

The Morbi police have arrested 10 suspects, including Oreva Group's MD Jaysukh Patel, for various offenses listed in Indian Penal Code, The Hindu reported.

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