Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel suspended four engineers from the Roads and Buildings Department—Executive Engineer N.M. Nayakawala, Deputy Executive Engineers U.C. Patel and R.T. Patel, and Assistant Engineer J.V. Shah—following the catastrophic collapse of the Gambhira Bridge over the Mahisagar River in Vadodara, which killed 16 people and left three to four others missing. The decision, based on a technical report assessing the bridge’s maintenance and inspections, was announced in a government release, signaling accountability for the tragedy that occurred on July 9.

The 40-year-old bridge, a vital link between Anand and Vadodara districts, collapsed near Gambhira village, plunging vehicles—including two trucks, two vans, an auto-rickshaw, and possibly motorcycles—into the river. Vadodara Superintendent of Police Rohan Anand confirmed 16 bodies recovered, with ongoing National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) operations to locate survivors or additional victims. Vadodara Collector Anil Dhameliya noted the deployment of divers and cranes to retrieve submerged vehicles.

The collapse, attributed to long-ignored structural issues by locals and a 2022 warning from activist Lakhan Darbar, prompted CM Patel to order immediate inspections of all state bridges. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Patel announced ex-gratia payments of Rs 2 lakh and Rs 4 lakh, respectively, for the deceased’s kin, and Rs 50,000 for the injured. Public fury and opposition demands for Patel’s resignation highlight growing concerns over Gujarat’s infrastructure safety.

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