Nine killed as vehicles plunge into river after Gambhira bridge collapse in Vadodara
AHMEDABAD, JULY 9 : At least nine people were killed and five others rescued after several vehicles fell into a river when a portion of the four-decade-old Gambhira Bridge near Mujpur collapsed in Gujarat’s Vadodara district on Wednesday morning, officials said.
The incident occurred without warning, hurling two trucks, a pickup van, and another vehicle into the swollen river below. Within minutes, chaos unfolded as villagers rushed to the scene, followed closely by police and rescue teams.
Vadodara Collector said, “So far, nine people have lost their lives. Two trucks, a pickup van, an auto-rickshaw, and an Eco vehicle that had fallen into the river, along with two other vehicles that were stuck on the bridge, have been removed. The injured have been shifted to CHC centers.”
Gujarat’s Health Minister Rushikesh Patel said the bridge, located on the river that connects the central Gujarat and Saurashtra regions of the state, had undergone periodic maintenance.
What adds a disturbing layer to this disaster is the dark history of the Gambhira Bridge, long known locally as a “suicide point.” Yet despite its reputation and age, no major reinforcement had been carried out, raising serious questions about structural neglect.
Vadodara R&B Executive Engineer N. M. Nayakawala said, “The Gambhira Bridge was built in 1985 and has a lifespan of 100 years. It was not in a dilapidated condition.
Maintenance work was carried out last year, and potholes were filled this year as well. Our inspection report did not indicate any major structural damage. The bridge was not considered unsafe. The exact cause of the collapse will be known only after the detailed report is submitted.”
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has directed technical experts to reach the site and conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of the collapse.
A team from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has also been dispatched to the site with rescue equipment, officials said.
As rescue and recovery operations continue, questions loom over administrative negligence and the high cost of prolonged inaction.
-PTI
