Vadodara— A tragic bridge collapse in Gujarat’s Padra, Vadodara, has claimed at least 10 lives after a portion of the Gambhira Bridge gave way on Wednesday morning. The bridge collapsed into the Mahisagar River, sending five vehicles, including two trucks and an SUV, plunging into the water.
While rescue operations continue, fears remain that the death toll may rise. In response, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his sorrow, calling the incident “deeply saddening,” and announced ₹2 lakh as compensation for the families of the deceased and ₹50,000 for the injured from the PM National Relief Fund.
However, the accident has triggered sharp political criticism from opposition parties who are questioning the Gujarat government’s governance and the integrity of the much-touted ‘Gujarat Model’.
🔴 Opposition Blames Corruption, Shoddy Workmanship
Congress leader Supriya Shrinate said the incident is yet another example of the “hollow Gujarat Model” and alleged that it’s synonymous with corruption. “Before the accident, large sums were spent on repairing the bridge. Still, it collapsed. This points to kickbacks and commissions influencing contractor appointments,” the Congress claimed.
The party also highlighted that local residents had long complained about the bridge’s instability, warning that it could collapse.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi demanded accountability from both the government and contractors, urging citizens to protest against poor-quality infrastructure work.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) also condemned the incident, drawing parallels with the Morbi bridge collapse in 2022. “Is this an Act of God, or an Act of Fraud?” the party asked, accusing PM Modi of being absent in times of crisis and instead focusing on “PR stunts in Namibia.”
TMC MP Mahua Moitra added, “There’s no action on repeated infrastructure failures in Gujarat, but BJP governments are more concerned about religious optics than public safety.”