Gujarat Bridge Collapse: 9 Dead in Gambhira Tragedy | Rescue Ops Underway

Gujarat bridge collapse, Gambhira bridge accident: At least 9 people were killed and 3 rescued when four vehicles fell into the Mahisagar river after a portion of a 40-year-old bridge collapsed in Gujarat’s Vadodara district on Wednesday morning.

A slab of the Gambhira bridge in Padra taluk, which connects Anand and Vadodara districts, gave way during peak morning traffic hours. At least 3 people have been rescued so far, said officials.

The collapse occurred around 7:30 am on the Padra–Mujpur stretch, a major road connecting Central Gujarat with the Saurashtra region. The bridge is about 25 km from Vadodara city and is a busy route for heavy and commuter traffic.

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Vadodara (rural) police superintendent Rohan Anand said 9 bodies have been recovered and 9-10 people rescued. “The death toll may rise as rescue and search operations are on,” he said.

Cranes were deployed to retrieve the submerged vehicles as search operations continued. An official said the bridge was in a dilapidated condition and maintenance issues could have led to the incident.

Five to six vehicles fell into the Mahisagar river after a slab of the Gambhira bridge, which connects central Gujarat and Saurashtra regions of the state, collapsed, said Gujarat’s Health Minister Rushikesh Patel.

He said the bridge was constructed in 1985 and maintenance was done as and when required. “The exact reason behind the incident will be probed,” he said.

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Meanwhile, Vadodara Collector Anil Dhameliya said, "Rescue operation started this morning. Local swimmers, boats and team of Municipal Corporation reached the spot immediately. VMC, Emergency Response Centre, NDRF teams and other administration, Police team are here. Rescue operation is ongoing. We have recovered nine bodies so far. five people are injured, a 6th injured was found just now and he is being provided medical treatment."

In a post on X, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Office condoled the deaths and announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh for the families of those killed from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund. The injured will get Rs 50,000, he said.

Visuals showed the entire slab of the bridge between two piers having collapsed. Eyewitnesses said a loud cracking noise was heard moments before the four vehicles – two trucks, a Bolero and a pick-up van – fell into the river.

The area has been cordoned off to prevent further accidents. Fire brigade teams, local police and Vadodara district administration officials rushed to the spot and launched immediate rescue operations. Divers and cranes were deployed to search for the missing people and retrieve the submerged vehicles.

Built in 1985, it was a key road connecting Anand and Vadodara. Morbi bridge collapse in 2022 killed 135.

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