Tragedy in Vadodara: Death Toll Hits 19, Two Still Missing in Mahisagar River Disaster!
One injured man’s death raises Vadodara bridge collapse toll to 19 as rescue teams battle mud and toxic chemicals to find missing persons.
The death toll from the catastrophic collapse of the Gambhira Bridge over the Mahisagar River in Gujarat’s Vadodara district has risen to 19 after 45-year-old Narendrasinh Parmar succumbed to injuries at SSG Hospital on Friday, officials confirmed. The 40-year-old bridge, a vital link between Anand and Vadodara districts, collapsed on July 9, 2025, at 7:30 am, sending at least six vehicles—including two trucks, two vans, an SUV, and an autorickshaw—plunging into the river near Gambhira village in Padra taluka.
Search operations, now in their third day, continue for two missing individuals amidst challenging conditions, including thick mud, recent heavy rains, and the presence of soda ash causing skin irritation for rescuers. A tanker carrying sulfuric acid, stuck in the riverbed, poses an environmental hazard, with teams taking precautions to prevent leaks.
Vadodara Collector Anil Dhameliya reported that 18 bodies were recovered by Thursday night, with efforts focused on retrieving a body trapped under a slab and locating a missing truck driver. A temporary platform made from concrete mix has been built to aid rescue teams from the NDRF, SDRF, and local volunteers.
Also Read: Tragedy in Vadodara: Death Toll Hits 13, Rescue Efforts Intensify!
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has suspended four Roads and Buildings Department engineers—executive engineer N.M. Nayakawala, deputy engineers U.C. Patel and R.T. Patel, and assistant engineer J.V. Shah—based on a preliminary probe citing pedestal and articulation crushing as the cause. A high-level committee is investigating and will submit a detailed report within 30 days.
The state has announced ₹4 lakh compensation for families of the deceased and ₹50,000 for the injured, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi has pledged ₹2 lakh and ₹50,000, respectively, from the PM’s National Relief Fund.
The collapse, the seventh major bridge incident in Gujarat since 2021, has sparked outrage. Locals and Congress leaders, including Mallikarjun Kharge and Amit Chavda, allege negligence, claiming warnings about the bridge’s dilapidated condition were ignored. The 1985-built, 900-meter-long bridge, a toll-free route heavily used by trucks to bypass the Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway, has disrupted connectivity between Saurashtra and Central Gujarat.
Since 2021, Gujarat has seen multiple bridge collapses, including the 2022 Morbi tragedy that killed 135 people. Other incidents include a 2023 Mindhola river bridge collapse with no casualties and a 2023 Bhogavo river bridge incident injuring four. The recurring disasters have intensified calls for stricter infrastructure oversight.
Also Read: Tragedy in Vadodara: Four Vehicles Plunge into Mahisagar River as Gambhira Bridge Collapses
