Gambhira bridge collapse: State announces ₹4 lakh ex-gratia for families of deceased

In a tragic incident early Wednesday morning, a section of a bridge near Mujpur village in Padra taluka collapsed, causing a truck and a Bolero SUV to plunge into the Mahi River. The mishap occurred during peak morning hours when traffic on the bridge was reportedly high.

Rescue operations are currently underway, and local authorities are working in coordination with disaster response teams to recover the victims and clear the debris.

Following the incident, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel announced ₹4 lakh compensation for the families of the deceased and ₹50,000 for those injured.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, expressing deep grief over the tragedy, tweeted:

"The loss of lives due to the collapse of a bridge in Vadodara district, Gujarat, is deeply saddening. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon."

The Prime Minister also approved an ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the next of kin of each deceased.

President Droupadi Murmu expressed condolences and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured. Several political leaders and public figures have also conveyed their sympathies, calling for a thorough investigation into the structural failure.

Authorities have confirmed that a technical team has been deployed to assess the cause of the collapse. The bridge, which connected several key villages in the region, is an important route for local commuters.

Further updates are awaited as rescue and investigation efforts continue.