Nine Killed, Five Injured as Bridge Collapses in Gujarat’s Vadodara
At least nine people were killed and five others injured after a 43-year-old bridge collapsed in Gujarat’s Vadodara district early Wednesday morning. The incident occurred around 7:30 a.m. when the Gambhira bridge over the Mahisagar River near Mujpur village gave way, sending multiple vehicles including two trucks, a pickup van, an Eeco van, and an auto-rickshaw plunging into the river.
The bridge served as a key route connecting Vadodara and Anand districts and linked Central Gujarat to Saurashtra.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the tragedy and announced an ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh for the next of kin of each deceased and ₹50,000 for the injured from the PM’s National Relief Fund. Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel also expressed sorrow and ordered a high-level inquiry. He announced an additional ₹4 lakh for the families of the deceased.
Rescue operations were swiftly launched by the Vadodara Fire Department, NDRF, and local authorities. Cranes, divers, and heavy machinery were deployed to recover victims and clear the debris
