Gujarat was warned for years about Gambhira bridge; 22 died, four engineers suspended
On 9 July 2025 a section of the four-decade-old Gambhira bridge over the Mahisagar river in Vadodara district, Gujarat, collapsed, sending vehicles into the river and killing 22 people. Vadodara district panchayat member Harshadsinh Parmar had written multiple letters to the state Roads and Buildings Department about the bridge's poor condition and asked for it to be closed, according to reports citing the Times of India, and The Wire reported the deterioration had been flagged as early as 2022. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, who holds the Roads and Buildings portfolio, suspended four department engineers after a preliminary probe found them responsible. In September 2025 he told the Assembly the bridge had been inspected on 15 May 2025 and that the department had received no safety complaint in the six months before the collapse.
There have been reports of the bridge's deteriorating condition being flagged to the authorities as early as 2022.
Harshadsinh had written multiple letters flagging the concerns to the R&B department.
the department had not received any complaint about its safety in the six months leading up to the collapse
Not yet contacted for this story.
Told the Assembly the bridge was inspected on 15 May and no safety complaint was received in the prior six months.
No outcome recorded yet.