Tragedy in Gujarat: 9 Dead, Multiple Vehicles Plunge Into River After Bridge Collapse in Vadodara
Gujarat’s Vadodara Gambhira Bridge Collapse: Located in Mujpur in Padra taluka of the Vadodara district, the bridge connected Mujpur to Gambhira in Anand district as well as Central Gujarat to Saurashtra
were killed, and nine others were rescued after multiple vehicles fell into the Mahisagar River when a 43-year-old bridge in Gujarat’s Vadodara district collapsed early Wednesday.
Located in Mujpur in Padra taluka of the Vadodara district, the bridge connected Mujpur to Gambhira in Anand district as well as Central Gujarat to Saurashtra.
Videos of the bridge collapse show a tanker dangling precariously from the broken bridge even as a woman trapped in the river is heard crying for help for her son, seemingly trapped in the overturned Eeco van in the water.
Anil Dhameliya, District Collector, Vadodara, told The Indian Express, “We have rescued five people with simple injuries, and two have been confirmed dead. While the rescue operation is on, as of now, we know that two trucks, an Eeco van, a pickup van, and an auto-rickshaw plunged into the river when a portion of the bridge gave way suddenly.”
Vadodara district fire and emergency team, as well as the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), were rushed to the spot to carry out rescue operations. NDRF’s Vadodara 6BN unit said it had dispatched a team to the accident site along with deep water dives to assist in the rescue operation.
“It is not the deepest part of the river, and rescue is being undertaken. There were two motorcycles on the bridge at the time as well, but so far, we have no confirmation whether they also plunged into the river. We are yet to ascertain the identities of the people as we are focusing on the rescue work,” Dhameliya added.
The injured have been taken to the local hospital in Vadodara district. Dhameliya added that of the five rescued people, four had sustained non-grievous injuries, and escaped with ‘minor injuries’.
Dhameliya added that the bridge, which is 43 years old, had been repaired last year. “The executive engineers of the Road and Bridges Department are on their way to the spot. We will examine the details of the bridge once the rescue work is completed,” he added.
Praveen Chaudhary, District Collector, Anand, told The Indian Express that while the Vadodara district was carrying out the rescue operation, they had deployed three fire tenders for assistance at the spot. “The Anand district administration and the district police are on the spot in order to manage the events on the other side of the bridge and to lend assistance if needed.”
Anklav Congress MLA Amit Chavda posted on X, “Several vehicles have fallen into the river and big casualties are feared… The government administration must undertake immediate rescue and divert traffic accordingly.”
On Wednesday morning, July 9, 2025, a section of the Gambhira Bridge, located near Mujpur in Padra Taluka, collapsed into the Mahisagar River, sending several vehicles into the water below
Local officials confirmed a death toll that has now risen to nine, with over ten others injured The involved vehicles included two trucks, a pickup van, a maruti Eeco and potentially an auto-rickshaw, plunging into the swollen river at dawn
Time: The collapse occurred at approximately 7:30–7:45 AM IST
Location: Gambhira Bridge spans the Mahisagar River, connecting Mujpur (Vadodara district) with Gambhira (Anand district). It’s a vital link between Central Gujarat and Saurashtra
Impact: Multiple vehicles plunged into the gorge-like river below; at least five to six were involved, depending on varying accounts—some mention four, others seven vehicles
Casualties: The nine confirmed deaths and 10+ injuries make this one of Gujarat’s deadlier infrastructure failures this year
Rescue efforts: Emergency services—including NDRF, local fire departments, police, and volunteers—rushed to the scene. At least five survivors were pulled out alive, though several sustained minor to serious injuries
Hospitalization: The injured were immediately transported to hospital for treatment; some are in critical condition .
Aged & dilapidated: Officials described the bridge as “decades-old and in disrepair,” warnings by villagers had gone unheeded in the past
Last repaired: Aged 43 years, with repairs conducted last year, though its structural health remained compromised .
Ignored alerts: Posts by locals and villagers had highlighted visible cracking and aging—requests for strengthening or replacement were repeatedly made but not addressed .
Political blame game: The Opposition (Congress and AAP) condemned the BJP-led Bhupendra Patel government, accusing it of negligence and lack of oversight. The government responded by ordering a high-level inquiry and promising swift action
Public-private concerns: Analysts compared this disaster to the infamous 2022 Morbi bridge collapse, highlighting issues in PPP-managed infrastructure—poor audits, oversight failures, and maintenance lapses
Investigations launched: FIRs have already been filed, citing negligence; maintenance engineers and officials may be held responsible .
Compensation promised: The Gujarat government has announced ex-gratia compensation: ₹4 lakh to next of kin for each deceased and ₹50,000 to each injured person. The PMNRF has pledged ₹2 lakh per death and ₹50,000 per injured from central funds
Agencies under scrutiny: Agencies responsible for maintenance—state roads department, contractors, and the Oreva Group (if involved)—are under investigation. Arrests have already been made in the wake of the Morbi tragedy
Scale of effort: A joint team—NDRF, state disaster teams, fire-services, and local volunteers—worked around the clock to recover victims and search for those still missing .
Local solidarity: Villagers and fishermen joined forces with rescue teams, using vessels to retrieve vehicles and bodies from the fast-moving river .
Structural audit missing: Authorities are probing whether the bridge was reopened or maintained without a formal safety audit or certificate
Repeat of PPP pitfalls: Similar systemic flaws seen earlier—no fitness checks, shoddy contractor work, inadequate supervision—have once again led to catastrophe .
Need for audit system: Experts warn that past patterns show lack of regulatory inspections by municipal or state bodies before opening repaired structures to public use.
Morbi Bridge Comparison (2022): A suspension bridge collapsed in Morbi, killing over 130, due to overloaded crowds and undocumented, premature reopening without certificate—resonating eerily with today’s tragedy
Other accidents nationwide: India has witnessed multiple bridge/vehicle disasters in recent years—from bus plunges in Jammu & Kashmir to flyover collapses in Mumbai—underlining systemic infrastructure deficits .
Trust shaken: This tragedy erodes public confidence in road safety and government oversight, particularly of rural infrastructure.
Demand for action: There is rising demand for mandatory structural audits, accountability for repair contractors, and oversight before re-opening bridges to traffic.
PPP model reform: PPP-built or maintained infrastructure faces increased scrutiny—calls for transparency in contracts, fitness testing, and penalties for negligence are growing louder.
High-level inquiry: The state government has ordered a high-level committee to probe the collapse—analysing design, maintenance, approvals, and accountability .
Arrests and FIRs: Charges like culpable homicide and negligence are being processed. Contractors and officials linked to the bridge may be prosecuted under Sections 304/308 IPC
Compensation disbursal: Ex-gratia compensation packages will be expedited via state and central schemes.
Repair and restoration: Affected highways linking Central Gujarat to Saurashtra are cut; alternate routes are being arranged while planning for rebuilding or replacing the collapsed span.
This tragedy isn’t just another infrastructure failure—it reveals a pattern of negligence in governance and oversight. Repeated incidents like Morbi and Vadodara expose flaws in the PPP infrastructure model—where profit motives often override safety, reinforced by lax audits and political inertia.
Mandatory Structural Audits before and after any major repair.
Fitness Certificate Authorization: No bridge should reopen without engineering clearance.
Transparent PPP Reviews: Contracts must demand accountability, insurance bonds, and third-party checks.
Community Alerts Mechanism: Villages must have channels to report damaged infrastructure before tragedy strikes.
In Summary: The July 9, 2025 Gambhira Bridge collapse in Vadodara has left nine dead, shook confidence in infrastructure safety, and reopened ages-old wounds from prior tragedies. Now, what follows hinges on whether investigations lead to accountability—and whether systemic reforms guard against future loss of life and livelihoods.
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