Gujarat bridge was ‘unfit for use'? Vadodara's death-bridge warnings were reportedly buried since 2021
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The collapse of the Gambhira Bridge in Vadodara's Padra taluka on Wednesday, which left at least 15 dead, has brought to light a series of unheeded warnings and buried reports about the bridge's unsafe condition dating back to 2021.The bridge, built in 1986 over the Mahi River between Mujpur and Gambhira villages, had been flagged multiple times by local leaders as structurally unsafe. Harshadsinh Parmar, a member of the Vadodara district panchayat from Mujpur, had written to the Roads and Buildings (R&B) department as early as 2021, urging authorities to declare the bridge unfit for traffic and initiate steps to build a replacement, reported TOI.In August 2022, Parmar reiterated his concerns, warning that inaction could lead to loss of life. He also followed up with further representations after the Morbi bridge collapse in October 2022, which killed 135 people. Despite this, no significant action was taken. "There were vibrations in the pillars. I kept demanding that the inspection report be made public. All we were told was that the issue was under consideration," TOI quoted Parmar as saying.Following Parmar's letters, a communication from the Vadodara district collector's office was sent to the executive engineer of the R&B department in 2022, asking for necessary steps to be taken. However, no public disclosure of the bridge's condition followed.Contrary to these concerns, R&B department executive engineer N M Naykawala said after the collapse that a departmental report found no major faults in the structure. 'There was an issue with the bearings, which was addressed last year,' he stated.Local RTI activist Lakhan Darbar disputed that claim, stating that an internal report had found the bridge 'unfit for use' in 2022. 'Despite repeated demands, the report was never shared with the public. The authorities let the bridge function for three years knowing it was unsafe,' Darbar said. 'Now it has become a death-bridge. We are demanding accountability and strict action," he addedState government spokesperson and minister Rushikesh Patel said the matter was discussed in Wednesday's cabinet meeting. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has asked the R&B department to explain the lapse. A team comprising government and private experts has visited the site, and a detailed report is awaited.Patel also said that the government had sanctioned Rs 212 crore for reconstruction of the bridge and the project was currently at the tendering stage.(With inputs from TOI)
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