3 bridge collapses in 5 months this year: What you need to know
A slab of the 43-year-old Gambhira bridge located over the Mahisagar river in Gujarat collapsed early Wednesday morning. Multiple vehicles, including two trucks, two pickup vans, and an auto-rickshaw, plunged into the river. At least ten people, including children, were killed and nine others were rescued.
The Gambhira bridge connects central Gujarat to the Saurashtra region. Constructed in 1985, the bridge was considered a vital link for transport and trade between the two areas.
According to Vadodara District Collector Anil Dhameliya, the bridge had undergone repairs 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.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to each of the injured.
2025 has two other major bridge related accidents.
Many bridges and public structures built in the 1980s and earlier are now past or nearing the end of their intended lifespan. Despite periodic maintenance, poor audit systems and a lack of modernisation efforts are leading to increased risks.
Each incident is undergoing state-level and central authority review. The Gujarat bridge collapse is being investigated by the Road and Bridges Department, while the NHSRCL is looking into the gantry failure near Ahmedabad.
The Vadodara Collectorate on Wednesday afternoon issued a notification regarding alternative routes that can be used for traffic, hours after a portion of the Gambhira bridge collapse into Mahisagar river.
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