At least nine people were killed and five others injured when a 43-year-old bridge collapsed in Gujarat’s Vadodara district early Wednesday morning, officials said.
The incident occurred around 7:30 a.m. when the Gambhira bridge, spanning the Mahisagar River near Mujpur village, gave way. The bridge was a crucial link between the Vadodara and Anand districts and served as an important route connecting Central Gujarat to Saurashtra.
Expressing sorrow over the tragedy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced ₹2 lakh in ex-gratia compensation for the next of kin of each deceased and ₹50,000 for the injured, from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF).
“The loss of lives due to the collapse of a bridge in Vadodara district is deeply saddening. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon,” the Prime Minister’s Office posted on X.
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel also expressed grief and ordered a high-level inquiry into the incident. He announced an additional compensation of ₹4 lakh for the families of the deceased and ₹50,000 for those injured.
“Technical experts have been instructed to visit the site and conduct a detailed investigation to determine the cause of the collapse,” the Chief Minister said.
According to officials, a large slab between two piers collapsed as several vehicles, including two trucks, a pickup van, an Eeco van, and an auto-rickshaw, were crossing. The vehicles plunged into the river below.
Rescue operations were launched immediately by teams from the Vadodara Fire Department, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and local authorities. Cranes, divers, and heavy machinery were deployed to locate missing persons and recover the wreckage.