bridge collapses: On July 9, 2025, a portion of the Gambhira‑Mujpur bridge, located near Padra in Vadodara district, Gujarat, gave way during the morning rush, sending multiple vehicles into the Mahisagar (Mahi) River. At least nine people were killed, and several others were injured.
Incident Details: What Happened?
The crash occurred around 7:00–7:30 AM on a bridge that was built in 1985, making it roughly 40 years old. Local media reported that a slab of the bridge collapsed suddenly under traffic, allowing at least four vehicles — including two trucks, a pick‑up van, an SUV named Bolero, an auto‑rickshaw, and some bikes — to plunge into the river below. Witnesses described hearing a loud cracking noise just before the fall.
Rescue and Recovery Operations
Emergency response teams — including police, fire brigade, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and local disaster staff — rushed to the site. Survivors were pulled from the water using boats and cranes, with five to six people rescued, some critically injured. Recovery efforts recovered nine bodies (some sources suggest up to ten), even as searches continued for others potentially trapped.
Victims, Government Response, and Compensation
At least nine confirmed fatalities have been identified, including one child. Dozens of others are believed to be injured. The victims’ bodies were moved to Padra Referral Hospital for autopsies.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi termed the incident “deeply saddening” and announced an ex gratia payment of ₹2 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased, and ₹50,000 for each injured individual. Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel confirmed the same compensation from the state and declared that injured individuals would receive free medical care.
Infrastructure Concerns and Ongoing Inquiry
Residents had long warned authorities that the ageing Gambhira bridge was dangerously unstable—reportedly shaking under passing traffic. Despite prior plans to reconstruct it, authorities kept it open after minor repairs. Many now say the collapse was a “disaster waiting to happen.”
Local officials have registered cases of accidental death, and high‑level investigations have been ordered to probe potential structural neglect. Engineers from the road department and private bridge experts are involved in the inquiry.
Wider Context: Infrastructure Safety in India
This collapse echoes previous tragedies in Gujarat, such as the 2022 Morbi suspension bridge disaster that killed over 130 people due to neglected maintenance of an old pedestrian bridge.
