Vadodara : The deadly bridge collapse on the Mahisagar River in Gujarat’s Vadodara district occurred due to crushing of pedestal and articulation joints, a state minister said on Friday, citing a preliminary probe. As many as 19 people died and four sustained injuries after several vehicles plunged into the Mahisagar River after a segment of the 40-year-old bridge connecting Anand and Vadodara districts collapsed near Gambhira village close to Padra town on Wednesday morning.
A search is underway for two more persons. State Health Minister and government spokesperson Rushikesh Patel visited the site at Mujpur on Friday. Speaking to reporters, the minister said that officials from the state roads and buildings (R&B) department arrived at the scene soon after the collapse and conducted an investigation on the orders of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel.
“As per the probe committee’s preliminary report, the bridge collapsed due to the crushing of the pedestal and articulation joints. The committee will submit its detailed report in 30 days, and decisions will be taken based on its findings,” he said. He said the chief minister on Thursday suspended four officials of the R&B department for “negligence”.
Patel said the search operation in the river is in its final stage, and trapped vehicles have been pulled out of the water body. Meanwhile, the Gujarat Congress alleged that the BJP government had not taken any action despite a local district panchayat member’s warning in 2022 that the bridge wasn’t in good shape and should be closed for traffic.
Gujarat Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader in the assembly Amit Chavda demanded that inspection reports and fitness certificates of all bridges in the state be shared in the public domain so that people know which ones are unfit for travel. “We demand that all the bridges in dilapidated condition be closed for commuters with immediate effect, and accountability of senior officials and even ministers be fixed in such cases. A new bridge must be constructed at the same place at Padra,” Chavda told reporters in Gandhinagar.
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