Wall clock, e-bike maker Oreva group at centre of Morbi bridge collapse

It is not known how Oreva group — which specialises in CFL bulbs, wall clocks and e-bikes — was awarded the contract to maintain and manage the bridge by the Morbi municipality

Oreva group, which is under scanner following the collapse of a suspension bridge at Morbi in Gujarat that killed at least 141 people, specialises in CFL bulbs, wall clocks and e-bikes and it is not known how it managed to get the contract to maintain an over 100-year-old bridge.

Founded by Odhavji Raghavji Patel nearly five decades back, the firm manufactures wall clocks under the popular Ajanta and Orpat brands.

Patel, who died earlier this month at the age of 88 years, was a science teacher at school before turning an entrepreneur at the age of 45 years in 1971.

With a turnover of nearly ₹800 crore, the Ajanta Group now manufactures home and electrical appliances, electric lamps, calculators, ceramic products and e-bikes.

The suspension bridge, popularly called the 'jhoolta pul', over the Machchhu river was closed seven months ago for repairs and reopened on Gujarati New Year's Day on October 26. In March this year, Oreva group was awarded the contract to maintain and manage the bridge by the Morbi municipality.

It is alleged that the bridge was opened without a fitness certificate.

While the company management was unreachable for comments, a group spokesperson soon after the accident had reportedly stated that the bridge collapsed as "too many people in the mid-section of the bridge were trying to sway it from one way to the other."