The death toll in the Gambhira Bridge collapse over the Mahisagar River in Vadodara district, Gujarat, rose to 17 on Thursday, with three people still missing, officials said. The accident, which occurred around 7:30 am on July 9, has triggered a state-wide outcry, prompting Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel to suspend four engineers from the roads and buildings department.
CM Patel Suspends Officials, Orders Probe
According to a government statement, the suspended engineers include Executive Engineer N.M. Nayakawala, Deputy Executive Engineers U.C. Patel and R.T. Patel, and Assistant Engineer J.V. Shah. The move came after a preliminary report revealed lapses in repairs, inspections, and structural quality checks.
“The decision was taken to ensure accountability and prevent such tragedies in future,” the release stated.
Bridge Collapse Details and Rescue Updates
The 1985-built bridge connected Anand and Vadodara districts, and was widely used by heavy trucks bypassing toll roads to save 30-35 km. On Wednesday morning, a span of the bridge gave way, plunging two lorries, an SUV, a pickup van, and an auto-rickshaw into the river.
Vadodara district collector Anil Dhameliya confirmed:
“Seventeen bodies have been recovered so far, with three still missing. Five people have been rescued and are stable.”
Rescue teams worked over 36 hours, using excavators, steel cables, and floodlights at night to recover vehicles and bodies stuck in the riverbed’s thick sludge. A truck loaded with ceramic tiles became the central point of search operations, yielding three bodies after it was uprighted.
Compensation and Infrastructure Scrutiny
Chief Minister Patel has announced ₹4 lakh compensation for the families of the deceased. The Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund earlier pledged ₹2 lakh per victim and ₹50,000 for the injured.
The tragedy has once again turned the spotlight on Gujarat’s bridge infrastructure, still reeling from the 2022 Morbi bridge collapse that claimed 135 lives. Following that, the Gujarat High Court initiated a suo motu PIL, demanding safety audits and accountability.
As per court-mandated data:
- Gujarat has 1,441 major bridges under the roads and buildings department.
- Each bridge must be inspected twice a year — pre- and post-monsoon.
- 348 bridges fall under municipal corporations, 113 under nagarpalikas.
- 23 bridges (18 in corporations, 5 in nagarpalikas) were identified as needing major repairs.
The Gujarat Congress also released a list of 20 bridges that collapsed in the last 10 years, citing systemic negligence and calling for a state-wide infrastructure audit.
New Bridge Approved, But Too Late?
An official revealed that a ₹217 crore project to build a new bridge had been approved in November 2024 — but construction had not yet begun.
Traffic in the region has been severely disrupted, with heavy vehicles rerouted via Vasad and light vehicles through Umeta.
As rescue efforts continue near Mujpur village in Padra, public anger mounts over perceived government inaction and systemic failure, with demands rising for long-term reforms and better oversight.