Latest news with #RoadsandBuildingsDepartment
Time of India
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
Wall of Shame: Gujarat officials trap rescue vehicles behind their own wall after Vadodara bridge collapses
Live Events Tragedy and a swift response Plans for a new bridge The current two-lane approach will be widened to four lanes with a seven-metre roadway. A 4.2-km stretch of road connecting the highway to the bridge will also be expanded. Tendering and groundwork have already been set in motion. (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel In an irony that perfectly sums up the chaos following the Mujpur-Gambhira bridge collapse in Vadodara district , authorities trying to keep people safe ended up trapping their own rescue vehicles.A hastily built brick barrier, intended to block access to the collapsed bridge, has now left official equipment stuck on the wrong side—and in need of a rescue plan Sunday, district officials constructed a three-foot brick wall at the Padra approach of the damaged bridge. The idea was simple: stop unsuspecting motorists—especially those blindly following GPS directions—from driving onto the broken span at concerns were not without recent years, several tragic incidents have occurred across India where drivers, unaware of closures, plunged off collapsed or incomplete in their rush to finish the barrier, workers forgot to move two rescue vehicles and a mast light that were still parked past the construction line. Locals reportedly tried to warn officials before the wall was sealed off, but by then it was too late.'The administration managed to trap its own rescue convoy,' one villager remarked to TOI. 'This is exactly how our systems function—even after such a disaster.'Now, the authorities will have to partially demolish the new wall, retrieve the stranded vehicles, and build the barrier all over again. A similar blockade is planned for the opposite approach to prevent further bridge, built four decades ago near Gambhira village to connect Anand and Vadodara districts, collapsed on July 9, sending multiple vehicles into the Mahisagar river The death toll climbed to 20 within the next few the urgent need to restore connectivity, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel approved the construction of a parallel two-lane bridge. The project, estimated at Rs 212 crore, aims to replace the critical link between central Gujarat and Saurashtra within 18 to state officials, the new bridge will come up near Mujpur and include significant upgrades:Superintending Engineer N.V. Rathva of the Roads and Buildings Department confirmed that administrative clearance has been granted and detailed project reports are the meantime, authorities are grappling with the aftermath of the collapse—and the unintended comedy of trapping their own rescue teams behind a wall meant to keep everyone out.
Hans India
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Gujarat Chief Minister reviews road and bridge repairs through CM dashboard video wall
Gandhinagar: Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Tuesday initiated an intensive review of the state-wide roads and bridges, damaged by heavy monsoon rains. He reviewed the ongoing repair works of roads and bridges across the state through the video wall of the CM Dashboard. While monitoring the repair work, the Chief Minister instructed the officials to adopt a proactive approach to road repairs and asked them to ensure that the restoration of traffic movement and redressal of the citizens' complaints is prioritised. Warning against any lapses or negligence, the Chief Minister directed the engineers and officials to ensure that no complaint, however small, remains unresolved and that repair works are prioritised to prevent the public from facing any inconvenience. He said that all citizen complaints received through the Roads and Buildings Department's 24x7 control room, the 'GujMarg' mobile app, municipal apps, WhatsApp, websites, helpline numbers, City Civic Centres, and Command & Control Centres must be addressed promptly and satisfactorily, with active monitoring by the concerned officials to ensure swift resolution. The Chief Minister further directed that all ongoing repair works should be closely monitored through field visits by officers, local authorities, and district administrations. Principal Secretary of Urban Development M. Thennarasan, sharing information on complaint redressal, said that out of 15,424 complaints received from metropolitan cities, 12,023 have been successfully resolved. Out of the 3,632 complaints received via the 'GujMarg' app of the Roads and Buildings Department, 99.66 per cent have been resolved. Also, the number of users on the 'GujMarg' app increased from 10,767 to 28,449 in just three days, registering a 164 per cent increase in the App's growth. The state government is continuing its awareness campaigns to promote the app's usage. The Chief Minister also instructed the NHAI field officers to expedite repairs on National Highways affected by damage and interstate traffic disruption.
Time of India
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Gujarat govt sanctions new bridge parallel to collapsed structure in Vadodara
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Days after the Mahisagar river bridge collapse tragedy in Vadodara district, the Gujarat government has approved the construction of a parallel two-lane bridge and approved Rs 212 crore for the project-related vehicles plunged into the Mahisagar river after a segment of the 40-year-old bridge near Gambhira village , connecting Anand and Vadodara districts, collapsed on July death toll rose to 20 on Friday, while the search for a missing person continues, officials said on old bridge near Gambhira village was a key link between central Gujarat and Saurashtra. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Sunday granted administrative approval to the Roads and Buildings Department for the construction of a new bridge near Mujpur connecting Vadodara and Anand government has set a target to build the new structure in 18 months and the tendering process has been initiated, an official release stated.A detailed project report was recently prepared by the R&B Department after a survey."Following the unfortunate collapse of the existing bridge, which disrupted connectivity between central Gujarat and Saurashtra and posed challenges for local commuters and students, the chief minister swiftly approved this new project," it said.R&B Department's superintending engineer NV Rathva said the existing two-lane Mujpur approach road will be expanded to four lanes and widened to seven metres. A 4.2 km stretch from the highway to the bridge will also be expanded to four lanes."The chief minister has approved administrative sanction of Rs 212 crore for these works," he the operation to trace a missing man continued in the Mahisagar river, officials rescue teams were conducting searches with rubber boats and other necessary equipment, he said, adding the wreckage of the small vehicles was also salvaged.
New Indian Express
14-07-2025
- New Indian Express
Gujarat government sanctions new bridge parallel to collapsed structure in Vadodara
AHMEDABAD: Days after the Mahisagar river bridge collapse tragedy in Vadodara district, the Gujarat government has approved the construction of a parallel two-lane bridge and approved Rs 212 crore for the project-related work. Several vehicles plunged into the Mahisagar river after a segment of the 40-year-old bridge near Gambhira village, connecting Anand and Vadodara districts, collapsed on July 9. The death toll rose to 20 on Friday, while the search for a missing person continues, officials said on Sunday. The old bridge near Gambhira village was a key link between central Gujarat and Saurashtra. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Sunday granted administrative approval to the Roads and Buildings Department for the construction of a new bridge near Mujpur connecting Vadodara and Anand districts. The government has set a target to build the new structure in 18 months and the tendering process has been initiated, an official release stated. A detailed project report was recently prepared by the R&B Department after a survey. "Following the unfortunate collapse of the existing bridge, which disrupted connectivity between central Gujarat and Saurashtra and posed challenges for local commuters and students, the chief minister swiftly approved this new project," it said. R&B Department's superintending engineer NV Rathva said the existing two-lane Mujpur approach road will be expanded to four lanes and widened to seven metres. A 4.2 km stretch from the highway to the bridge will also be expanded to four lanes. "The chief minister has approved administrative sanction of Rs 212 crore for these works," he said. Meanwhile, the operation to trace a missing man continued in the Mahisagar river, officials said. The rescue teams were conducting searches with rubber boats and other necessary equipment, he said, adding the wreckage of the small vehicles was also salvaged.
Indian Express
13-07-2025
- General
- Indian Express
Gujarat: Over 99 % of complaints related to damaged roads resolved, says state govt
The Gujarat government has claimed that of the 3,632 complaints related to road damages, received on GujMARG, an application developed by the Roads and Buildings department, nearly 99.66% had been resolved. The application, which accepts complaints on potholes, damage to bridges and structures and unpainted speed bumps, has seen over 10,000 registrations so far, a government statement said. According to data from the Roads and Buildings department, just seven complaints currently remain under process. The government has urged citizens to continue using the GujMARG app to report issues related to potholes, damaged bridges, and other road infrastructure problems, especially during the ongoing monsoon season. GujMARG, developed by the Roads and Buildings Department, allows people to directly lodge infrastructure-related complaints. The platform enables users to report issues by uploading photographs, track the status of their complaints, and ensure timely follow-up by officials.
