Key Points
- Death toll in Mahisagar river bridge collapse reaches 18; two people still missing
- Rescue operations halted overnight due to rising river, to resume Friday morning
- Four senior engineers suspended by Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel after preliminary probe
- Social activist’s 2022 warning about bridge’s dangerous condition resurfaces
- Vehicles, including a loaded truck, remain submerged; Indian Army equipment deployed for recovery
- State orders urgent inspection of all bridges following tragedy
Vadodara: A catastrophic collapse of the four-decade-old Mujpur-Gambhira bridge over the Mahisagar river in Gujarat’s Vadodara district has claimed 18 lives, with two people still unaccounted for. The incident occurred on Wednesday morning near Gambhira village, close to Padra town, when a section of the bridge connecting Anand and Vadodara districts gave way, sending several vehicles plunging into the river below.
Rescue Efforts Face Obstacles
Rescue operations, led by at least 10 teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and other agencies, continued throughout Thursday but were suspended overnight due to rising water levels and strong currents. The search is set to resume Friday morning as authorities race to locate the missing.
The retrieval of vehicles, including a loaded truck, has been particularly challenging due to thick mud and turbulent waters. The district administration called in a high-performance truck from the Indian Army to assist in pulling out the stranded vehicles.
Government Action: Engineers Suspended, Statewide Bridge Inspections Ordered
In swift response to the tragedy, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel suspended four engineers from the state’s Roads and Buildings Department following a preliminary investigation. The suspended officials are Executive Engineer NM Nayakawala, Deputy Executive Engineers UC Patel and RT Patel, and Assistant Engineer JV Shah.
The decision came after a high-level committee reviewed the bridge’s repair, inspection, and quality check records. CM Patel, who also oversees the Roads and Buildings Department, has ordered immediate and comprehensive inspections of all bridges across Gujarat to prevent similar disasters.
Warnings Ignored: Activist’s 2022 Alert Goes Viral
The collapse has reignited public outrage after a three-year-old audio clip surfaced, revealing that social activist Lakhan Darbar, leader of the ‘Yuva Sena’, had warned state officials about the bridge’s dangerous condition as early as August 2022. In the viral audio, Darbar urges a Roads and Buildings Department official to repair or replace the bridge, citing concerns also raised by Vadodara Zila Panchayat member Harshadsinh Parmar.
Despite these warnings and a letter from Parmar, no substantial action was taken. A government official reportedly admitted at the time that the bridge “may not survive long,” but the structure remained open to vehicular traffic until the fatal collapse.
Official Statements and Ongoing Investigation
When questioned by local media after the incident, Executive Engineer NM Nayakawala maintained that departmental inspections had found no major flaws in the bridge. He acknowledged a minor issue with the bearing coat, which he claimed was repaired the previous year, and insisted there was no recommendation to close the bridge to traffic.
A formal inquiry has been launched, and compensation has been announced for the victims’ families. The state and central governments will provide financial aid to the next of kin of those who lost their lives, and to those injured in the tragedy.
Broader Concerns: Infrastructure Safety in Focus
This disaster is the latest in a series of bridge collapses in Gujarat since 2021, raising urgent questions about the safety and maintenance of aging infrastructure in the state. The government’s rapid action to suspend officials and order statewide inspections signals a recognition of the systemic issues at play, but public demands for accountability and reform continue to mount.
The Mahisagar bridge collapse stands as a grim reminder of the consequences of neglected warnings and aging infrastructure. As rescue teams continue their search and the state government promises sweeping inspections, the tragedy has sparked a renewed call for transparency, accountability, and urgent action to safeguard public safety across Gujarat.
