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Indian Express
09-07-2025
- General
- Indian Express
3 bridge collapses in 5 months this year: What you need to know
India has witnessed a continuous series of infrastructure failures in 2025 with multiple bridge collapses reported across states leading to tragic loss of lives and raising questions about the safety of aging public structures. The most recent being Wednesday in Vadodara, Gujarat where a bridge built 43 years ago collapsed killing at least ten people, including children. 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.
News18
18-05-2025
- General
- News18
'Mother Died While Hugging Children': Hyderabad Fire Survivor Recounts Heart-Wrenching Scene
Last Updated: The Telangana fire department has identified the 17 victims. Eight of them are children, the youngest just one. Four are senior citizens, and five are women. When a fire erupted in a home near Hyderabad's Charminar, residents rushed in as first responders and started bringing out those trapped inside. One of the residents, identified as Zahir, a bangle seller, shared a heart-wrenching account with NDTV. Zahir described finding a woman who had desperately hugged her children, trying to shield them from the flames. Tragically, they were all burned beyond recognition in her final embrace. 'We managed to get inside shortly after the fire started. The flames were huge. Inside the room, a woman had hugged the children. She was dead," Zahir said. According to the information so far, the fire was caused due to an electrical problem and the victims were caught unawares because they were sleeping. Rescue efforts were severely hampered by the building's outdated structure. The century-old shops had rooms constructed above them, with rows of windows that were likely closed at night due to air conditioning. In the case of a fire, this would lead to a massive build-up of smoke in the small rooms. Another problem is the single, narrow entry point to access the rooms. 'We brought out 13 people. We could not see anything due to the smoke. We pulled down a wall to get inside," Zahir said, adding that most victims burned to death, and smoke choked the others. The Telangana fire department has identified the 17 victims. Eight of them are children, the youngest just one. Four are senior citizens, and five are women. Only one family member survived because she was out for a walk. Y Nagi Reddy, director general of Telangana fire services, said that after receiving the information about the blaze at 6:16 AM, 11 fire engines with the required staff were dispatched immediately. The firefighters had to use oxygen masks and breathing apparatus to rescue the people trapped in the building. He said the fire seems to have started at the electrical mains and then spread to the shops on the ground floor. 'Then the smoke spread to the other floors, a lot of heat was generated in the area," he said, adding that inhaling smoke makes people unconscious, making escape difficult. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his anguish at the loss of life in the Hyderabad building fire. He also announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakhs from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the families of those who lost their lives. Rs 50,000 will be given to those who were injured in the mishap. First Published: May 18, 2025, 17:33 IST
Indian Express
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Gujarat Confidential: For the Armed Forces
Around 46 owners of shops in Ramnagar and Adajan areas of Surat contributed a total of Rs 21.09 lakh to the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF), and the Armed Forces Battle Casualties Welfare Fund (AFBCWF). The cheque was handed over to Surat District Collector Dr Sourabh Pardhi on Tuesday evening by a delegation, led by Surat city West BJP MLA Purnesh Modi. MLA Modi said, 'On Saturday, people from the Sindhi community in Ramnagar had taken out a rally in support of Operation Sindoor and the Indian Army. I participated in the rally and made an appeal for collection of donations for the PMNRF and AFBCWF. People have voluntarily contributed and we have handed the amount to the disctrict collector so that it can be sent to Delhi.'
