Morbi Tragedy: Civil Hospital, Where Victims Are Admitted, Gets Overnight Clean-Up For PM Visit

An all night reparations and painting at the Morbi civil hospital of Gujarat, where victims of the suspension bridge collapse tragedy have been admitted, has drawn flak from all quarters. The clean-up has been done ahead of the Prime Minister’s visit today to the hospital to meet victims. According to official numbers, the bridge collapse tragedy has so far taken 131 lives, which includes 47 children.

After the unfortunate collapse of the suspension bridge across the Machchhu river, PM Modi will be in Morbi this morning. Over 100 people injured in the mishap are being treated at the Morbi civil hospital.

NDTV reported that its team visited the hospital last night and found a huge post-midnight “makeover” in progress just hours before the Prime Minister’s visit.

The report stated that a few walls and parts of the ceiling were freshly painted, and new water coolers were brought in. Bedsheets on beds of 13 injured victims in two wards were also speedily changed.

Opposition parties have taken up strong objection to this massive clean-up at the hospital at a time when the whole country is mourning the tragic incident. Though it is not uncommon to renovate structures before visit of top government functionaries, the incident for which the visit is happening is not suitable for such overnight clean-up.

The Congress party, terming it a “tragedy event”, wrote on its Twitter on Hindi: “Tomorrow, Prime Minister Modi will visit the civil hospital in Morbi. Ahead of that, painting is on, shiny tiles are being laid. All arrangements are being made to ensure that there is nothing amiss in the Prime Minister’s pictures. They have no shame, so many people have died, and they are busy in event management.”

त्रासदी का इवेंट

कल PM मोदी मोरबी के सिविल अस्पताल जाएंगे। उससे पहले वहां रंगाई-पुताई का काम चल रहा है। चमचमाती टाइल्स लगाई जा रही हैं।

PM मोदी की तस्वीर में कोई कमी न रहे, इसका सारा प्रबंध हो रहा है।

इन्हें शर्म नहीं आती! इतने लोग मर गए और ये इवेंटबाजी में लगे हैं। pic.twitter.com/MHYAUsfaoC

— Congress (@INCIndia) October 31, 2022

The Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party, which is trying hard to prove its presence in the Western state, wrote: “Scenes at the Morbi Civil Hospital. Repair work is on to ensure there is nothing amiss in the Prime Minister’s photoshoot tomorrow. If the BJP had worked in the past 27 years, there would have been no need to spruce up the hospital at midnight.”

Morbi Civil Hospital का दृश्य…

कल प्रधानमंत्री के Photoshoot में कोई कमी ना रह जाए इसलिए अस्पताल की मरम्मत की जा रही है।

अगर भाजपा ने 27 वर्षों में काम किया होता तो आधी रात को अस्पताल को चमकाने की जरूरत न पड़ती।#BJPCheatsGujarat pic.twitter.com/h83iUmPzKA

— AAP (@AamAadmiParty) October 31, 2022

NDTV also reported that its team found some work being been stopped following an uproar by the Opposition parties over the sprucing up exercise at a time when the town has witnessed the country’s worst bridge tragedy in decades.