At least nine people lost their lives and several others were injured after a section of the 43-year-old Gambhira bridge over the Mahisagar River in Vadodara district, Gujarat, collapsed on Wednesday morning. The tragic incident occurred around 7:30 a.m. when multiple vehicles, including two trucks, two vans, an auto-rickshaw, and a two-wheeler, plunged into the river following the sudden failure of a 10-15 meter slab of the bridge.
The Gambhira bridge, constructed in 1985, serves as a vital transport link connecting central Gujarat to the Saurashtra region. Despite undergoing repairs last year, the bridge gave way amid heavy rainfall that has been affecting the region in recent days, raising concerns about the impact of weather on aging infrastructure.
Rescue operations were swiftly launched by local authorities, including the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), with several victims pulled from the river and taken to nearby hospitals. So far, nine people have been confirmed dead, and at least nine others rescued, with none reported in critical condition. The collapse has disrupted road connectivity between Vadodara, Bharuch, and Ankleshwar, affecting vehicular movement in the area.
Gujarat's Health Minister Rushikesh Patel confirmed the incident and called for a thorough investigation into the cause of the collapse. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has directed technical experts to examine the site and determine the reasons behind the failure. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences to the victims' families and announced ex-gratia payments of ₹2 lakh to the families of the deceased and ₹50,000 to the injured.
This tragedy marks the second major bridge collapse in India within two months, following a similar incident in Pune, and recalls the devastating 2022 Morbi bridge disaster in Gujarat that claimed over 140 lives. The recurring infrastructure failures have intensified scrutiny over the safety and maintenance of India's aging public structures.
Authorities continue rescue and recovery efforts while investigating the incident, as the nation mourns the loss and calls for urgent measures to prevent such disasters in the future.