At least eight people died after a portion of a 40-year-old bridge over the Mahisagar River collapsed in Padra taluka of Vadodara district, Gujarat, early Wednesday morning. Known as the Gambhira Bridge, it is part of the state highway connecting Padra in Vadodara to Anand district. The incident has disrupted road connectivity between Anand and Vadodara, affecting vehicular movement along the route.
The incident occurred around 7.30 am when the Gambhira bridge, built over the Mahisagar River along a state highway, collapsed. "Around four vehicles fell into the river after a portion of the bridge on the Mahisagar river collapsed around 7.30 am. The vehicles, including two trucks and two vans, fell into the river.Gujarat chief minister Bhupendra Patel has instructed technical experts to visit the site and investigate the cause of the bridge collapse, officials said.
Rescue efforts are ongoing, with teams from the Vadodara fire department and local residents actively participating, an official said. Additionally, a National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team has been dispatched to the site with rescue equipment to assist in the operation. The collapsed structure is the 900-metre-long Gambhira bridge, which has 23 piers and links the Vadodara and Anand districts. The bridge was inaugurated in 1985.