The collapse of the Gambhira bridge in Padra, which claimed over 20 lives, has triggered sharp criticism from the Gujarat High Court, especially amid ongoing proceedings related to the Morbi bridge tragedy of 2022. During a suo motu hearing, the court raised serious concerns over the state&rsquo;s infrastructure monitoring and questioned the effectiveness of its inspection protocols.
Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal and Justice D. N. Patel, who presided over the hearing, asked how such a catastrophic incident could occur if the structure had been inspected prior to the monsoon. Addressing Advocate General Kamal Trivedi, the bench queried, &ldquo;If the Gambhira bridge was examined before the rains, what caused this tragedy?&rdquo;
Trivedi, representing the state government, called it an &ldquo;unfortunate accident&rdquo; and issued an apology. However, he failed to offer a concrete explanation for the collapse. He informed the court that inspection documents had been sought from senior officials, and fresh reviews of several bridges were currently underway.
&ldquo;Sorry, my lord,&rdquo; Trivedi remarked, acknowledging the court&rsquo;s evident dissatisfaction with the state's response.
The judges cast doubt on the credibility of the inspection process, citing the fact that following the Padra incident, 133 bridges across the state were shut down after a second round of evaluations. The court questioned why these additional assessments were necessary if earlier inspections had deemed the structures safe.
&ldquo;All bridges were declared safe in pre-monsoon checks. After the Vadodara incident, another round of scrutiny led to the closure of 133 bridges. What does this say about your previous inspection process?&rdquo; the bench asked.
Justice Patel further pressed whether the scope of bridge oversight had expanded beyond just Morbi. In response, the Advocate General noted that the High Court had already ordered statewide inspections and that additional assessments were in progress. He also confirmed that a high-level meeting with all relevant authorities had been held.
The bench expressed dissatisfaction with the Roads and Buildings Department, questioning the necessity of repeated inspections so soon after earlier evaluations. It also criticized the lack of systemic reforms following the Morbi tragedy, suggesting that the current PIL seemed to be treated as a Morbi-specific issue rather than addressing wider infrastructure failures across the state.
The court sought updates on compensation for the victims of the Morbi bridge collapse. Petitioners requested ₹2 crore for the families of the deceased and ₹50 lakh for those injured. The court asked the state government and the private firm involved to submit their positions on the plea for enhanced compensation.
It was also revealed that a trust had been established to manage the compensation process and that a court-appointed amicus curiae would soon submit a report on its operations.
Regarding accountability in the Morbi case, the state informed the court that former Morbi Municipality Chief Officer Sandipsinh Zala had been suspended. A departmental inquiry was conducted, and a chargesheet was filed. Zala, given a chance to respond, was found guilty. The disciplinary measures recommended include a demotion by three pay levels and the suspension of annual salary increments for three years, pending final approval from the Gujarat Public Service Commission (GPSC).
The High Court directed the state to file a detailed report on the status of bridge inspections and the measures taken since the Gambhira tragedy. The matter will be heard again in August.

Gambhira Bridge Collapse Sparks HC Scrutiny

Gujarat HC slams inspection lapses after Gambhira tragedy, echoes concerns post-Morbi

Gambhira Bridge Collapse Sparks HC Scrutiny

Gujarat HC slams inspection lapses after Gambhira tragedy, echoes concerns post-Morbi

July 19, 2025 | 18:30 IST