PM Modi Did Not Inaugurate the Bridge That Collapsed in Gujarat

The bridge that collapsed on Jamnagar-Junagadh highway recently was not inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi.

The bridge that collapsed on Jamnagar-Junagadh highway was neither planned nor inaugurated by PM Modi.

(Photo Courtesy: Altered by The Quint)

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CLAIM

The official Twitter handle of West Bengal Congress tweeted that a bridge on the Jamnagar-Junagadh highway which was allegedly inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi collapsed recently.

An archived version of the tweet can be seen here.

The same claim was also shared by official account of Madhya Pradesh Congress Sevadal.

An archived version of the tweet can be seen here.

Several social media users have shared similar posts on Facebook.

TRUE OR FALSE?

While it’s true that a bridge on the Jamnagar- Junagadh highway collapsed recently, it has no link with Narendra Modi. An official in the Roads and Buildings Department, Government of Gujarat told The Quint that neither did he plan, nor did he inaugurate it.

WHAT WE FOUND OUT

We did a search on YouTube using keywords ‘Junagadh,’ ‘Jamnagar,’ ‘Bridge’ and ‘Collapse.’

This led us to news bulletins uploaded by various Gujarati media organisations. The bulletins were centred around a bridge collapse on the Jamnagar-Junagadh highway.

An official in the Roads and Buildings Department, Government of Gujarat who did not want to be named, told The Quint that it was constructed 45 years ago and not recently as claimed in West Bengal Congress' tweet.

“Firstly, it’s not even a bridge. It’s a 24 metre long culvert that was constructed 45 years ago as per old guidelines. It’s true that it collapsed recently due to some internal reasons, probably distress. However, neither did Narendra Modi plan it nor did he inaugurate it.”

Official in the Roads and Buildings Department, Government of Gujarat

Further, a local reporter confirmed to The Quint that the bridge on Jamnagar- Junagadh highway did collapse on 19 June but it was not inaugurated by PM Modi. He also said that it was not built three months back but several years ago.

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