VADODARA, July 9 — At least nine people lost their lives Wednesday morning when a section of a decades-old bridge collapsed at Padra in Gujarat’s Vadodara district, sending five vehicles plummeting into the Mahisagar River during peak-hour traffic.
The vehicles — two trucks, an SUV, a pickup van, and an auto-rickshaw — fell into the river after one of the 23 spans of the Gambhira Bridge gave way, officials confirmed. Disturbing visuals of a fuel tanker precariously hanging from the broken bridge surfaced on social media, capturing the scale of the tragedy.
Vadodara (rural) superintendent of police Rohan Anand said nine bodies had been recovered and rescue efforts were still underway. “Nine to ten people have been rescued so far. The toll may rise as search operations continue,” Anand said.
The bridge, built in 1985, served as a vital link between Anand and Vadodara districts. Officials at the scene suggested poor maintenance and aging infrastructure may have contributed to the collapse.
Gujarat chief minister Bhupendra Patel called for a high-level probe and dispatched a team of technical experts to the site. “I have directed the Roads and Buildings Department to conduct an immediate investigation,” he said in a post on social media. “A team comprising the Chief Engineer (Design), Chief Engineer (South Gujarat), and two private bridge construction experts has been asked to submit a preliminary technical report.”
Patel said he had spoken with the Vadodara district collector to ensure that the injured received immediate medical attention. “Priority is being given to rescue and relief measures,” he added.
Fire brigade teams from Vadodara Municipal Corporation and local municipalities, equipped with boats and divers, launched emergency response operations alongside residents. A team from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) also arrived on-site to assist in the rescue.
The incident has drawn fresh scrutiny of bridge safety in the state, just two years after the catastrophic Morbi bridge collapse in October 2022, which claimed at least 135 lives.
As cranes lifted submerged vehicles from the river and divers continued searching the murky waters, questions mounted over the structural health of the aging infrastructure and whether Wednesday’s disaster could have been prevented.
