At least nine people have been killed after multiple vehicles plunged into India’s Mahisagar River following the collapse of the Gambhira-Mujpur bridge in Gujarat, NDTV reported on Wednesday.
According to reports, as many as six vehicles, including two trucks and a pickup van, fell into the river when the bridge, which connects Anand and Vadodara districts, suddenly crumbled. Eyewitnesses reported hearing cracking noises just before the collapse, which led to the vehicles plummeting into the river.
Meanwhile, fire brigade personnel, along with police, Vadodara district officials, and local residents, are actively engaged in rescue operations. So far, at least five people have been rescued.
A local resident, reflecting community concerns about administrative neglect, stated: “The Gambhira bridge has become notorious not just as a traffic hazard but also as a suicide point. Repeated warnings about its condition were ignored.”
In response to the incident, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced ₹200,000 for each of the next of kin of the victims and ₹50,000 for those wounded. A statement issued by the Indian PM’s office on X read: “The loss of lives due to the collapse of a bridge in Vadodara district, Gujarat, is deeply saddening. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon.”
Bridge collapses are not uncommon in India. The Economic Times, citing a government press release from August 2024, reported that at least 42 major and minor bridges collapsed between 2019 and 2024. According to the Road Transport Ministry, a total of 21 bridges have collapsed on National Highways in the past three years, from 2021 to 2024.
The Hindu reports that Gujarat’s Health Minister, Rushikesh Patel, has stated that the exact cause behind the incident is not yet known and will be duly investigated.
