The Gujarat bridge collapse is symptomatic of the rot in our system. While some sources are quoting data of more than 500 bridge collapses in the last 10 years, it is definitely about something much more than corruption. The Gambhira bridge on the mahisagar river connected Vadodra and Anand. The 40 year old bridge was reported to be in a dilapidated state for at least ten years now and the opposition had been demanding it be closed for heavy vehicles since at least 8 years now. The spectacle of a truck hanging precariously on the edge of collapsed piers tells of both neglect and contempt. Two trucks fell into the river too. Definitely heavy vehicles plied on it. The government had enough information to sanction another bridge, just a few months ago but still did not bother to close the bridge. After all tendering for civil construction is the favourite job for all ruling parties. Closing the bridge would have caused inconvenience and people might have asked why wasn’t the alternate bridge constructed earlier. Instead of facing questions from an angry commuter, the system feels it easier to offer condolences to a grieving people. All questions can then be shunned calling them politicking over a tragedy. All regimes wary of questions, wish to demonstrate progress through erecting civil constructions, which also serves as a steady source of political funds. All other markers of development interact with people and seem cumbersome. So we have Z shaped railway bridges bending at right angles in Bhopal and overbridge falling within days of inauguration in Ajmer. Infrastructure also serve as monuments for display of machismo and bravado, so we have the prime minister single handedly moving on an inauguration spree of all infrastructure projects, even half done metro projects and sometimes repeatedly for the same project. The discussion therefore must move beyond corruption and address the contempt with which citizen lives are dealt with. We witnessed it during the Morbi bridge collapse in the middle of 2022 assembly elections in Gujarat, more than a hundred people died, yet the regime didn’t bat an eyelid. Democracy definitely has failed in its tallest claim, of bringing public rights into focus.
Democracy not serving the people
