Gujarat Bridge Collapse Vehicles Fall into River Rescue Underway
An old bridge called the Gambhira Bridge, built in 1981, collapsed over the Mahisagar River in Gujarat, India. The collapse happened around 7:30 AM near Mujpur village in the Padra area. Several vehicles fell into the river under the bridge.
The bridge had been repaired recently, but it still broke down. People nearby said they heard a loud cracking sound before the bridge collapsed.
Rescue teams, including the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the local fire brigade, and city officials, rushed to the spot. Due to muddy conditions and low water levels, only six people could be rescued. Others are still missing.
The collapse has angered local people, who are blaming the government for ignoring the poor condition of the bridge. Some say they had warned officials many times about the bridge being unsafe. An audio clip from 2022 even shows a government official admitting the bridge was weak.
Old Bridge in Gujarat Collapses, Vehicles Fall into River
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel called the incident “very upsetting” and ordered an investigation. The Gujarat government has announced ₹4 lakh compensation for the families of the dead and ₹50,000 for those who got injured.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also shared his sadness and said financial help would be given from the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund (PMNRF).
Surprisingly, the bridge was repaired just last year, and a new ₹212 crore bridge project was approved three months ago. But despite this, heavy vehicles were still using the old bridge.
This tragedy has once again raised questions about the safety of old bridges in Gujarat. People are comparing it to the 2022 Morbi bridge accident.
Meanwhile, traffic has now been diverted, and divers are still looking for those missing.
Also, a new railway bridge in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, has recently gone viral for having a sharp 90-degree turn, which many people say is dangerous and shows poor planning.
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