A section of a bridge over the Mahi River on the outskirts of Vadodara district in the western Indian state of Gujarat suddenly collapsed on Wednesday morning, resulting in the death of three people. The bridge connected Anand and Padra.
At the time of the collapse, several vehicles were on the bridge and fell into the river. Upon receiving reports of the incident, the local administration swiftly launched a rescue operation. According to news agency PTI, three people died after a vehicle fell from the four-decade-old bridge, and five others were rescued.
Gujarat government spokesperson Rishikesh Patel stated, “Due to the collapse of the middle section of the bridge connecting Anand and Padra, three people have died and five have been rescued. Five to six people were given medical treatment and released.”
He added, “The Chief Minister has ordered a probe into the cause of the accident, involving bridge and technical experts.”
Rishikesh further said, “Although the bridge had been repaired, this tragic and unfortunate incident still occurred. The Chief Minister has approved the construction of a new bridge at a cost of ₹212 crore.”
Anand District Collector Praveen Chowdhury said, “Rescue operations are ongoing from the Vadodara side. We have only stopped vehicular movement. This bridge also falls under the Vadodara district. Vehicles heading to Vadodara from Anand and Saurashtra have been suspended. The bridge was constructed between 1983 and 1984.”
Opposition parties did not miss the chance to criticize the state government over the incident.
Congress leader Amit Chavda said, “This bridge handles heavy traffic. Why are such incidents happening so frequently? If the bridge is dangerous, it should be closed or repaired. This incident occurred due to the government’s gross negligence.”
Aam Aadmi Party leader Isudan Gadhvi said, “A truck, a pickup van, and four trucks fell into the river from the bridge. Today, people are scared to cross or go under a bridge. If the bridge was in such a poor condition, why wasn’t it closed to traffic?”
