Gujarat Gambhira Bridge Collapse: 17 Dead After Trucks, SUV Plunge Into Mahisagar River; Crucial Anand–Vadodara–Bharuch Corridor Cut Off

A terrifying incident was reported after a portion of the Gambhira Bridge connecting Anand and Vadodara districts collapsed early Tuesday morning near Mujpur village in Padra taluka, plunging at least four vehicles into the Mahisagar River, including two trucks, a Bolero SUV, and a pickup van.

According to local reports, 17 people have died, while nine have been rescued in the ongoing operation. 

One team of NDRF under the supervision of Sanjay Singh DC and U/C Insp Krishna Kumar has reached the spot. 

Vital Route Between Central Gujarat and Saurashtra 

The Gambhira Bridge has served as a crucial link between Central Gujarat and Saurashtra for more than four decades.

The sudden collapse has cut off the primary connection between Anand, Vadodara, Bharuch, and Ankleshwar. This corridor is crucial for daily commuters, goods transport, and inter-district connectivity between Central Gujarat and Saurashtra. The bridge is heavily used by passenger and cargo vehicles daily. 

Officials are now working to divert traffic through alternate routes while assessing the damage.

Rescue Operation Underway

Rescue efforts were swiftly launched as soon as the incident was reported. Padra MLA Chaitanyasinh Zala and senior officials from the district administration rushed to the scene. 

Vadodara Collector Dr Anil Dhamelia said, “Rescue operation is underway. Five people have been rescued. An investigation will be conducted to find out how the bridge collapsed.”

Gambhira Bridge Collapse – What We Know So Far

Bridge collapse time: Early morning, July 9

Vehicles involved: 4 – including two trucks, one SUV, and one pickup van

Casualties: Two dead, three rescued 

Location: Mujpur village, Padra taluka, Vadodara district

Why Did The Bridge Collapse?

As per sources, the reason behind the horrific collapse of Gambhira Bridge is mainly low maintenance. Although there have been various media reports from the last nine years on the need of proper maintenance, nothing more that patch work was done.

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