At least 11 people lost their lives and several others sustained injuries after the Gambhira Bridge collapsed in Padra taluka, Gujarat, early Wednesday morning, local media reported.
The tragic incident occurred around 7:30 AM near Mujpur village, when the Gambhira Bridge, built in 1981, suddenly gave way over the Mahisagar River, causing multiple vehicles to plunge into the water below.
According to eyewitnesses, a loud cracking noise was heard moments before the bridge collapsed. Rescue operations were immediately launched by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), fire brigade, and municipal officials.
Read More: Trainer Aircraft Goes Down in Churu, Rajasthan
Despite difficult conditions, including thick mud and low water levels, only six individuals were rescued from the scene. Authorities are still searching for missing persons, with divers deployed to aid in the rescue mission.
Residents have blamed the collapse on administrative negligence, stating that repeated warnings about the bridge’s structural weakness were ignored. An audio recording from 2022, now circulating online, reportedly features a government official admitting the bridge was unsafe.
Ironically, the bridge had undergone repairs just last year, and a ₹212 crore project for a new bridge was approved only three months ago. However, traffic continued on the old structure until the tragic collapse.
Read More: You Can Now Own Property in Saudi Arabia — Here’s What It Means!
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel called the accident “deeply distressing” and ordered an immediate investigation into the incident. The Gujarat government has announced ₹4 lakh compensation for the families of the deceased and ₹50,000 for the injured.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences and approved financial aid from the PM National Relief Fund (PMNRF).
This latest disaster has reignited concerns about infrastructure safety in Gujarat, drawing parallels to the infamous Morbi bridge collapse in 2022 that killed over 130 people.
Simultaneously, the country is witnessing another engineering controversy in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, where a 90-degree railway overbridge turn has sparked safety concerns and public criticism.
