A horrifying tragedy struck Gujarat&rsquo;s Vadodara district on Wednesday when the Gambhira-Mujpur bridge in Padra taluka suddenly collapsed during peak traffic hours, sending several vehicles crashing into the Mahi River and claiming ten&nbsp;lives.
Survivors of the incident described scenes of chaos and terror. &ldquo;There was a pickup, a rickshaw, and a two-wheeler on the bridge when it collapsed,&rdquo; recalled Raju, one of the survivors. &ldquo;I was with my uncle. I fell into the river and somehow survived. I don&rsquo;t know where he is now.&rdquo;
Another survivor, Narendra Singh, said, &ldquo;I was returning home from work on my bike. Just as I reached the bridge, it collapsed under me.&rdquo;
Preliminary reports indicate that four vehicles &mdash; a Bolero SUV, two trucks, and a pickup van &mdash; were on the bridge when it gave way. Eyewitnesses reported hearing a loud cracking sound moments before the collapse.
Emergency services, including the fire brigade, police, and Vadodara district officials, rushed to the site. Locals also joined the rescue effort, helping pull victims from the river. At least three individuals have been rescued and hospitalised.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep grief over the incident and announced an ex gratia of ₹2 lakh each to the families of the deceased and ₹50,000 to the injured from the Prime Minister&rsquo;s National Relief Fund. &ldquo;The loss of lives due to the collapse of a bridge in Vadodara district is deeply saddening,&rdquo; the PMO stated in a post on X.
Padra MLA Chaitanyasinh Zala visited the site. Authorities have launched a full-scale investigation and cordoned off the area.
Residents have long voiced concerns about the bridge's deteriorating condition. &ldquo;It had become a death trap,&rdquo; said one villager. &ldquo;We kept warning them. It was not only a traffic risk but also known as a suicide point.&rdquo;
Senior Congress leader Amit Chavda also reacted to the incident, urging swift rescue operations and alternate traffic routes.
As search operations continue and cranes work to retrieve submerged vehicles, many are asking how such a critical piece of infrastructure could be allowed to decay, with deadly consequences.
[Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by the Benefit News editorial team and is published directly from the IANS news feed.]

Survivors Recall Terror as Gujarat’s Gambhira-Mujpur Bridge Collapse Claims 13 Lives

Survivors recount terrifying moments as Gujarat bridge collapse kills 13, rescue ops continue in Vadodara.

Survivors Recall Terror as Gujarat’s Gambhira-Mujpur Bridge Collapse Claims 13 Lives

Survivors recount terrifying moments as Gujarat bridge collapse kills 13, rescue ops continue in Vadodara.

July 9, 2025 | 21:00 IST